VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 1

Violence Against Women

Semran Zulfiqar

WOMN1600 D01

30 July 2019
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 2

Violence Against Women

Summary

The report “Violence Against Women in Canada” by Katherine M.J. McKenna (2017)

demonstrates violence against women in Canada by analysing sexual harassment, pornography

and prostitution in Canada. McKenna (2017) further explores violence against women

internationally.

McKenna assesses sexual harassment to reveal violence against women in Canada.

According to law, following someone around, giving threats and violence are felonies. Sinha

(2013) discloses that 7% and 15% of the felony women reports to police related to stalking and

verbal threats respectively (as cited in McKenna, 2017, p.214-215). Since 1970s, sexual

misconduct of women by men in the work environment has been perceived as an issue for

women. Especially in male-dominated professional settings where women face obscene jokes,

catcalling and asking for sexual favour in return for a promotion. McKenna (2017) states that

paradoxically, workplace with fewer complaints suggests a fearful work environment instead of a

safe one (p.215). Stanko (1997) reveals that women are compelled to design their lives around

keeping away from circumstances where they might get harassed (as cited in McKenna, 2017,

p.216). Sheffield (2007) suggests that feminist experts define this as “sexual terrorism” as in this

structure, men dictates women by petrifying them (as cited in McKenna, 2017, p.216).

McKenna analyses pornography and prostitution to expose violence against women in

Canada. The topic of pornography and prostitution has always been a debatable to feminist.

According to socialist feminist view, sex work is work like all others and has the right to be

treated with equivalent dignity and regard, with good working environment. Nevertheless, both

prostitution and pornography have lower standards of working condition. McKenna (2017)
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 3

affirms girls do not enter sex work all by themselves or for their own benefit, notwithstanding

being underage, they are also usually seen working on the internet which makes law to regard it

as human trafficking (p.220). Young girl in prostitution encounters violent acts and they are

unable to report since they are sex worker. Native Women’s Association of Canada (2014)

unveils that Human trafficking with the motivations of sexual abuse is a genuine issue in Canada.

The predominance of native women and girls who are forcefully recruited depicts to a dull,

unfair practice in this nation (as cited in McKenna, 2017, p.221).

McKenna furthermore investigates violence against women globally. World Health

Organization (2013) states that in the view of international bodies like the UN and WHO,

domestic violence is a significant problem globally since it violates fundamental rights of women

(as cited in McKenna, 2017, p.221). Results of two international survey displays that the

numbers vary from country to country, and even in various districts of a similar nation. Alhabib

(2010) claims that all research on domestic violence worldwide has inferred that the aggregated

proof demonstrates that "violence against women has achieved pestilence extents in numerous

social orders"(as cited in McKenna, 2017, p.222). The results through these studies indicate

uniformity globally in terms of the quantity of violence against women.

The chapter “Aboriginal Feminist Action on Violence Against Women” in Making Space

for Indigenous Feminism, Tina Beads’ interview with Rauna Kuokkanen (2007) highlights her

becoming political, feminist analysis, women’s empowerment and culture. Beads and

Kuokkanen (2017) further explores the ways to consider equality in Canada.

Beads points out her becoming more involved and engaged in her duties as an aboriginal

citizen and work for women. Beads (2007) deemed herself as being tokenized in the Vancouver

Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter as she was an aboriginal woman herself (Becoming Political
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 4

section, para.1). She further proclaims that in the transition house she worked at mostly had

Aboriginal woman. Aboriginal woman’s needs were not being fulfilled at the transition house

and they were not assisted properly. Beads (2007) indicates that women are helpless against

misogynist brutality from chauvinist as well as on account of racism and class, men will sexually

assault and mistreat women of their race or class and down (Becoming Political section, para.3-

4). This suggests that white men have reach to every woman in the society. She later discovers

that women's liberationist around Canada were facing similar issues.

Beads draw attention to women's activist analysis, female emancipation and culture.

Beads (2007) indicates that the absence of opportunity, the inadequacy of schooling, the scarcity

of employments, each one of those things makes women progressively powerless against male

brutality (Feminist Analysis section, para.2). She further implicates that these problems impact

all women, however, due to racial discrimination, aboriginal women are more effects to it than an

average white woman. Beads (2007) refers that keeping confidentiality and anonymousness in

transition house is more important than cultural peculiarity (Feminist Analysis section, para.4).

As a culture in not going to solve women’s issues. Beads (2007) further highlights that the police

and the justice system is gender and racially discriminant (Feminist Analysis section, para.9).

Officers do not reply to any women regardless of their race and are unwilling to take cultural

sensitivity training workshops.

Beads further investigates the way through which equality can be considered in the

society with the help of politician and students. The author suggests that gender discrimination is

the greatest persecution and an obstacle in the attainment of equality. Bead (2007) asserts that

equality could be founded on an abstract equality model where individuals can take a gander at

the actualities (Considering Equality section, para.1). Female politicians are seen imitating the
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 5

men rather than fighting for equality in the country. However, recently women have started to see

the misrepresentation of women in political action and are coming forward to work on feminist

struggles. Beads (2007) further elaborates that it is the responsibility of academic institutes to

integrate all races in educating regarding equality (Considering Equality section, para.4). Since

it’s important in a country like Canada to include all races especially the aboriginal population.

Integration

McKenna analyses sexual harassment to prove the violence against women in Canada

especially in workplaces. In workplaces, women face inappropriate behaviours and catcalling.

UN Women (2014) further validates McKenna and states that of all women who are working,

half of them work in defenseless employment in the economy where there are no working

guidelines or securities for laborers, for example, sexual harassment policies and the scope of

other working environment assurances from damage and abuse that is underestimated by people

(as cited in Mason, 2017, p.62). Both authors are investigating sexual harassment in the

workplace and how women are mistreated and torture both mentally and physically.

Beads emphasize on judicial system being sexist and racist. Women in general are

mistreat and if they are women of colour, they are further bullied by the police. The Canadian

Association of Elizabeth Fry Society (CAEFS) and the Native Women’s Association of Canada

(NWAC) (2008) in their discussion paper, Women and the Canadian Legal System establishes

that women encounter consistent inequality in the Canadian Judicial system (p.94). They further

discuss that the state has adequately coached numerous Aboriginal women to accept that they are

individually in conditions where they face violence. Women deal with the possibility of no

expectation and to either combat the issue or die. They further confirm Beads’ statement on

police not responding to women. CAEFS and NWAC (2008) further states that the scarcity of
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 6

reaction by the police consequently becomes an unavoidable outcome and the generalization that

Aboriginal individuals are criminal is fortified (p.97). This shows judicial system is evidently

responsible for women’s inequality.

Question/Reactions

Both McKenna and Beads have highlighted violence against women and how it affects

women of various races. I personally feel that indigenous and women of colour face more

violence than a white woman would as they face sexism as well as racism. As McKenna suggests

that Canada is at a similar level to other nations in the amount of violence against women

highlights that the women all around the world are facing this issue. It further determines that

even in countries like Canada, which are considered safe for everyone, women are not safe here

as well. The readings also make a person question about what could be done to protect women

against this violence and how can this issue be resolve overall so that women can feel safe in the

society.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 7

References

McKenna, K. M. J. (2017). Violence Against Women in Canada. Feminist Issue: Race, Class and

Sexuality (6th ed., pp.214-222). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Canada Inc.

Beads, T. & Kuokkanen, R. (2007). Aboriginal Feminist Action on Violence Against Women.

Making Space for Indigenous Feminism (pp.221-230). (n.p.): Fernwood Publishing.

Mason, C. L. (2017). Transnational Feminism. Feminist Issue: Race, Class and Sexuality (6th

ed., pp.62-85). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Canada Inc.

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Society & the Native Women’s Association of Canada

(2008). Women and the Canadian Legal System. Canadian Women’s Studies (pp.94-104).

Toronto, ON: Innana Publication