WATCH: (Apr. 12, 2014) A workshop in Moncton on Saturday brought together a group of women to discuss the issue of rape culture. Global’s Brion Robinson reports on the problem and some possible solutions.
MONCTON – The YWCA of Moncton says knowledge will help women push back against ‘rape culture’.
Beth Lyons, the YWCA’s associate director, says there’s evidence of it everywhere.
“When its done in a way that normalizes sexual violence and sets up that men can’t control themselves and women should be available for sex,” she said. “That’s what we talk about rape culture. It normalizes and minimizes sexual violence and therefore encourages it.”
Lyons says it’s a serious problem and cases like what happened to Rehtaeh Parsons, who took her own life after she was allegedly sexually assaulted and bullied, remind us of that.
“When we’re shifting the narrative away from why was this crime was perpetrated to ‘What did she do? What was she expecting to happen?’ That’s rape culture,” she said.
Saturday, the group invited young women to attend a workshop called Young Women Against Rape Culture and Victim Blaming. The event was part of National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, which was created to talk about issues faced by victims of crime It also spreads awareness of services available for victims and their families.
“We then decided to work with young women because they face the highest levels of sexual violence and rape culture affects them in a particular way,” Lyons said.
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It’s particularly a problem for women in Moncton’s sex trade.
“Sexual assault when it comes to sex trade workers – it’s still a very very real thing and it shouldn’t be an accepted thing,” said Roxxi Rupps, a member of the YWCA’s Young Women’s Collective.
The workshop was led by Farrah Khan, who works to end gender-based violence through counseling, art and education.
“I think there’s an amazing feminist movement happening in Moncton right now and you’re seeing it with these young women right now and you’re seeing them have these conversations,” she said.
Khan said its important for people to share ideas about how women can stand up for themselves when they’ve been victimized.
“It’s important for people to come together and challenge the myths we have about sexual violence the idea – that somehow it’s the victim’s fault,” she said. “When we break that down, it actually makes it safer for people to come forward and say, ‘yes this is happening in my life and it’s wrong.'”
The National Victims of Crime Awareness Week ends Saturday.
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