Women in Canada come from many diverse backgrounds and live with multiple experiences of marginalization and with each layer of exclusion, whether that is migrant, indigenous or disability status – other barriers to their safety are added. Consequently, particular populations of women experience higher rates of abuse than other women’s communities due to structural violence and the resulting more significant needs, yet these very populations receive limited attention in the violence prevention and response service sectors, which also contributes to their higher rates of victimization.

Led by IRIS, the Working Together: Combating Structural Violence against Indigenous, Racialized, Migrant  Women and Women Labeled with Intellectual and Psychiatric Disabilities project was launched on November 4th and 5th, 2015 in Toronto.

Indigenous, migrant and disability partners from Vancouver, Saint John, Toronto and Regina gathered to learn, reflect upon and discuss how we could collectively address violence against women from these communities. Over the next three years there will be Community Town Halls, workshops and ongoing working groups with women, as well as Safety Reviews of key services in each of these communities.

Contact Doris Rajan at d.rajan@irisinstitute.ca and Poonam Jit at pjit@irisinstitute.ca for more information and/or to learn how you can become involved!