Funding for new project: Roots of Safety: Centering Racialized Women in GBV Systems of Care
Today, DIVERSEcity was pleased to be a part of a funding announcement with Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef (shown above).
At the virtual announcement, the Honourable Minister Monsef talked about new funding that will go directly to organizations on the front lines supporting gender-based violence services.
“This is important work. This is difficult work. And it’s not work any one sector or level of government can do alone,” said the Minister to a national audience of more than 170 attendees on Zoom. “Gender-based violence continues to happen at an alarming rate, disproportionately affecting women and girls. Three in 10 have been sexually assaulted since the age of 15. Or 4. 7 million. Let that sink in.”
Monsef added that racialized women, LGBTQ+, those with disabilities and exceptionalities, Indigenous and those with precarious immigration status are particularly vulnerable, among others. And the rates of violence go up in isolation, as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal government funded organizations last year and is topping up those funds so organizations can continue this critical work.
At DIVERSEcity, we’re pleased to receive funding to support a 34-month project to strengthen our existing Roots of Safety service planning model and survivor advisory panel. The Roots of Safety: Centering Racialized Women in GBV Systems of Care will create opportunities for dialogue that will have positive, systemic impacts on how immigrant and refugee women access and connect with gender-based violence services.
“While issues of domestic violence can affect any Canadian, for immigrant and refugee women, the issues become more complex and multilayered as current supports may not be reflective of their cultures and immigration experiences,” says Richa Karkee, manager, Violence Prevention Services, at DIVERSEcity.
“With this new funding, DIVERSEcity will work to train immigrant and refugee survivors of violence to become facilitators who will then train partners and service providers about the Roots of Safety model. The end goal is that this dialogue will help inform a systemic change in gender-based violence service delivery and help develop practical new approaches for these underserved women.”
Planning is also underway to develop a Roots of Safety web-based tool to support service providers and increase collaboration.