Statement on the Death of Victoria Head

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 15, 2017

 

Statement on the Death of Victoria Head

The St. John’s Status of Women Council and the Safe Harbour Outreach Project (SHOP) extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Victoria Head.

We support the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in issuing their media release because all too often in our province and across our country the murder of sex workers goes unnoticed and unrecorded.

We are heartbroken at the news of another woman murdered in our community. This is the third woman in our province who has been murdered in less than six months. We know their names: Cortney Lake, Ryanna Grywacheski and Victoria Head. At this time, the In Her Name list of missing and murdered women and girls now sits at 122.

We must acknowledge that the horrendous levels of violence against women in our province is a threat to the general public. Violence against women devastates families and communities, and carries a huge social and economic cost.

Of the 217,900 women over the age of 15 residing in Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately 108,950 (one in two) will experience at least one incident of sexual or physical violence throughout their lifetime. Approximately 10 per cent (10,895) of these women will report this victimization to police. ​

When we continue to view women who do sex work as disposable, we allow them to be targeted for violence, stigma, and death. We must be clear that sex work is not what killed Victoria Head, it’s the environment we create when we continue to see sex workers as disposable and not provide them access to basic human rights of health care, safety, justice, and housing.

Once again, we call for a Provincial Task Force on gender-based violence that has the strength to change policy and legislation, mobilize resources, and provide the education and awareness we need to turn the tide against violence women and girls face in Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

Quotes

“There is a disgraceful history of violence against women who engage in sex work in our city, underscored by the ways in which sex workers are stigmatized and seen as separate from our everyday communities. Sadly, we know that stigma kills.”

Heather Jarvis

Program Coordinator, SHOP

 

“Violence against women and girls in our province is at a crisis level. We need the political will at all levels of government now to come to the table to address what is clearly a human rights issue.”

Jenny Wright

Executive Director, St. John’s Status of Women Council

 

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Media Contact

Jenny Wright

Executive Director

St. John’s Status of Women Council

Tel. 709.753.0220

jenny@sjwomenscentre.ca

Heather Jarvis

Program Coordinator

Safe Harbour Outreach Project

Tel.709.771.1077

heather@sjwomenscentre.ca

 

About St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre 

The St. John’s Status of Women Council/Women’s Centre is a feminist organization that since 1972 is continually working to achieve equality and justice through political activism, community collaboration and the creation of a safe and inclusive space for all women in the St. John’s area. The St. John’s Status of Women Council operates the Women’s Centre, Marguerite’s Place Supportive Housing Program and the Safe Harbour Outreach Project.

About Safe Harbour Outreach Project  

The Safe Harbour Outreach Project (SHOP) exists to advocate for the human rights of sex workers. SHOP serves women for whom sex work is an occupation; we also serve women who are in the industry not by choice, who are wishing to exit. We provide front line support, system navigation and outreach from a harm reduction approach.

 

For Immediate Release: PANSOW expresses disappointment at lack of government consultation

For Immediate Release

October 19, 2017

PANSOW expresses disappointment at lack of government consultation

Following the In Her Name Vigil for missing and murdered women and girls of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (PANSOW) and a coalition of anti-violence groups called for the establishment of a Provincial Task Force on Gender-Based Violence. This week the Provincial Government announced the formation of a Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls. PANSOW is expressing disappointment in this approach.

PANSOW and its community partners called for the establishment of a task force to oversee the implementation of a comprehensive, provincial plan to end domestic violence, and all violence, against women and girls. The Minister’s Committee on Violence Against Women and girls will be comprised of government and community representatives; membership is by invitation only.

Jenny Wright, PANSOW Co-Chair and Executive Director of the St. John’s Status of Women Council:

The way in which the government has established this committee circumvents the work of a coalition of anti-violence and domestic violence experts. The government did not acknowledge PANSOW’s request or engage in any consultation on the matter. Telling organizations to wait for an invitation is not a consultation.

PANSOW had asked women-serving anti-violence organizations to join the call for a provincial task force and had responses from organizations across the province.

Janice Kennedy, PANSOW Co-Chair and Executive Director, Bay St. George Status of Women Council:

The shift from a task force informed and led by anti-violence experts to an invitation-only committee is disappointing. Consulting with those who issued the call for a task force on gender-based violence should be an imperative for this government.”

PANSOW is calling on Minister Parsons to halt the further development of this committee until his department has met with the organization and its partners.

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 Media Contact

Janice Kennedy

PANSOW, Co-Chair

Executive Director, Bay St. George Status of Women

Tel: 709.643.4444

Email: executivedirector.bsgswc@gmail.com

About PANSOW 

The Provincial Action Network of the Status of Women (PANSOW) is a grassroots, feminist, and non-partisan network which gives a provincial voice on the issues facing the Status of Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. PANSOW consists of all eight Status of Women Councils in Newfoundland and Labrador.