Type your search

Highlights: IRIS Hosts Victims Week Events Across Canada

IRIS received a grant to participate in and help organize nationwide events for Justice Canada’s Victims and Survivors of Crime Week which took place May 28 to June 3, 2017.

IRIS worked with their partners in Vancouver, Regina, Toronto, Moncton, and Saint John to organize four community meetings in each city that brought together key support providers for Indigenous, refugee women, and women living with intellectual and mental health disabilities to identify the best ways to build safety circles around these women’s groups.

This collaborative effort is part of a three-year initiative led by IRIS, called Working Together – Combatting Structural Violence.

Here are some highlights from all five cities:
Vancouver, BC
Through the leadership of Lori Seay and Joyce Fossella, Warriors against Violence and IRIS hosted meetings that brought together grassroots service providers and informal leaders to identify needs and the supports available for marginalized women in Vancouver.

Four women at smiling at Vancouver Victims Week Meetings.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Vancouver Meeting
Three women at smiling at Vancouver Victims Week Meetings.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Vancouver Meeting

Regina, SK
Susana Deranger, the Local Coordinator for Regina organized separate meetings with Indigenous women and women living with mental health issues, to discuss needs and promising practices for each community.

Four women seated around a table having a discussion.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Regina Meeting
Women seated around a table having a discussion.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Regina Meeting
Women from vulnerable populations standing together and smiling.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Regina Meeting

Toronto, ON
Direct service providers gathered at Across Boundaries – an ethno-racial Mental Health Centre – for a lively discussion on the needs and key support leaders in the area of mental health in Toronto. Thanks to Nadine Singh for organizing this event!

Parvathy Kanthasamy gathered support workers for refugee women and families together in Scarborough to talk about what’s happening and who is doing the best work in supporting refugees in Toronto.

Direct service workers for women labelled with an intellectual disability came together today to talk about what is happening to women on the margins in Toronto and the kinds of interventions that can make a difference.

Meeting organizers, Lorraine Payne (bottom middle), Mariam Saleh (bottom right), and Nadine Singh (R) from Across Boundaries.
Meeting organizers, Lorraine Payne (bottom middle), Mariam Saleh (bottom right), and Nadine Singh (R) from Across Boundaries. Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Toronto Meeting
Group of women smiling and standing in office after Victims Week meeting.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Toronto Meeting
Nadine Singh from Across Boundaries, one of IRIS’s project partners stands smiling.
Nadine Singh from Across Boundaries, one of IRIS’s project partners.
Group of women seated and smiling around a large table.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Scarborough Meeting
Group of women gathered around table grabbing a homemade lunch together.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Scarborough Meeting

Saint John and Moncton, NB
In Saint John and Moncton, support workers met separately to discuss the best ways to build safety circles around Indigenous, refugee women, and women living with intellectual and mental health disabilities. Sue Davis did excellent work in convening key leaders from each population group.

Four women stand together, smiling.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Moncton Meeting
Five women seated together around meeting room table, smiling.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Saint John Meeting
Group of 7 women and 1 man gathered around meeting room table, smiling.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Saint John Meeting
Group of 8 women gathered around a meeting room table, smiling.
Victims and Survivors of Crime Week – Saint John Meeting