Aura Freedom urgently calls on federal government to declare femicide a national emergency in Canada
Every 48 hours in Canada a woman or girl is violently killed, most often by men
TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2023 /CNW/ - In the days approaching November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Aura Freedom, a grassroots organization that works to eradicate violence against women and human trafficking, is calling on the federal government to declare femicide an emergency in Canada.
Rates of femicide - defined as the intentional killing of women and girls because of their sex/gender - have increased in Canada post-pandemic, with one woman or girl killed every 48 hours1. Indigenous and other marginalized women make up a disproportionate percentage of this group.
"When women are harmed, it hurts all of us collectively," says Marissa Kokkoros, Founder and Executive Director, Aura Freedom. "From housing to healthcare, to education and the economy, male violence against women is impacting families, communities, and entire countries. So, when we work to end violence against women, we are working to see our communities ? and country ? thrive. We need the Government of Canada to declare femicide an emergency so we can focus resources on preventative solutions that address root causes and keep women and families safe."
Femicide is the most extreme form of male violence against women, with the majority of women and girls killed by men they know - intimate partners or male family members. This past summer, Toronto City Council declared gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic, answering Aura Freedom's Urgent Call to Action published in July that directly called upon Mayor Chow to declare the epidemic. Today's request from Aura Freedom builds upon this declaration, bringing broader national attention to the growing issue of femicide and violence against women in Canada.
In calling for national recognition of femicide as an emergency, Aura Freedom is launching the For Her campaign, which draws on traditional advertising tropes of gendered products for women. The campaign is intentionally bold, featuring a pink body bag made "For Her", demonstrating the stark reality for women killed by male violence, and all those they leave behind.
"Femicide is not the same as homicide. Women are being killed precisely because they are women. We created the For Her campaign to bring public awareness to the sobering realities of femicide in Canada and to demand action from our government. We're not waiting anymore and we're not asking nicely. When will women matter enough?" Kokkoros says. "Femicide is an emergency and these deaths are completely preventable. Until we treat femicide with the urgency it deserves and choose to value the lives of women and girls, we will continue to lose them at alarming rates."
The campaign and call to legislators comes as Aura Freedom marks its tenth year working to eradicate violence against women. Since its inception in 2013, Aura Freedom has utilized education, advocacy, research, training and feminist movement building to implement sustainable projects at the public and private sector levels, addressing violence against women and human trafficking in Canada.
The Body Bag For Her will be on display to the public on November 24, 2023, at It's Ok* Studios (486 Queen Street West, Toronto) from 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM EST. Additional resources and a petition supporting Aura Freedom's call to declare femicide an emergency in Canada will also be available on-site, as well as organizational spokespeople.
For more information on Aura Freedom, to access resources, or to support the organization, please visit aurafreedom.org.
ABOUT AURA FREEDOM:
Aura Freedom is a grassroots, intersectional feminist organization working to end violence against women and human trafficking in Canada through advocacy and education.
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SOURCE Aura Freedom International
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