Current Campaign Areas

Solidarity with Aboriginal Women against Sexist Violence

CASAC recognizes the particular vulnerability to violence against women endured by aboriginal women, and the particular leadership offered by aboriginal women to resisting violence against women. [link to CASAC Policy]

  •  Struggle for Status

Sharon McIvor's Fight against Sex Discrimination in the Indian Act
Since 1985, Sharon McIvor has fought for gender equality in the Indian Act, which discriminates against Aboriginal Women as bearers of status.  Recently, Bill C-3 continues to perpetuate these inequalities.

  • Demand for public inquiry into the cases of the murdered and missing Aboriginal women

"Nothing to report": Submission of the B.C. CEDAW Group to the United Nations Commitee. January 2010.

  • Integrating and creating alliances with Aboriginal women within sexual assault centres

Solidarity in the Global Arena 
[link to CASAC policy]

  • International Integration and alliances between sexual assault centres

Male government officials raid a women's shelter in Mexico.  June 9th, 2010.

The Canadian World March of Women 2005
An international movement of women committed to the elimination of poverty and violence in Canada and to making the links between local and global actions.

  • Fighting Racism: “Most women in the world are brown and poor”

CASAC writes in support of Tamil refugees and other potential immigrants aboard the Sun Sea. August 11, 2010.
"We are particularly concerned that among the ship's passengers may well be women and children in need of compassionate contact with NGO's like our own to protect their dignity, safety, security, and privacy."

Criminal Justice
There is no one law against violence against women in Canada, but Canada has agreed to decriminalize all forms of violence against women. We monitor the implementation of that decision in the behavior of police, prosecutors, courts, and review injustices and justice system reviewers. [link to CASAC policy]
  • Criminalize violence against women

The Need for a Public Inquiry into the Pickton Investigation. July 2010.

Demands for a Public Independent Inquiry into Police Conduct at the G20 Summit. July 2010.

Rape and Wife Battering

Canada conducts Death Panel Reviews relating to Violence Against Women

Recognizing and resisting Prostitution and human trafficking as violence against women

Prostitution: Violating the Human Rights of Poor Women. Shelagh Day, Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes, 2008.

  • Stop criminalizing women for self-defense
Canadian Struggle to Reduce Violence Against Women through Women’s Economic Security
A Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI, also known as Basic Income, Guaranteed Annual Income) is an unconditional, universal income supplied by governments granted to individuals, and is aimed at ensuring no one’s income falls below what is required for health, life and dignity. Women’s poverty and economic exploitation is closely linked to violence against women – evident in a women’s inability to escape dangerous men (be they husbands, bosses, sons, or strangers) as a result of economic dependence. A GLI would enable women to live independently of unsafe men, while maintaining their economic security.
[link to CASAC policy]
  • Guaranteed Livable Income

Dignity for All Campaign www.dignityforall.ca 
The Dignity for All Campaign is calling on the Canadian federal government to take action towards eliminating poverty in Canada.

Why Women would Gain from a Guaranteed Livable Income. Cindy L'Hirondelle, first published for the Status of Women Action Group (SWAG) in 2003, revised in 2004 for the Canadian Woman Studies Journal.

Prostitution and Human Trafficking
CASAC recognizes prostitution as a form of violence against women, and is campaigning to decriminalize the women, children, and some men who are prostituted/trafficked.  We insist that as in all forms of violence against women, those committing the violence should be prosecuted.  [link to CASAC Policy]
  • Prostitution

Abolishing Prostitution Through Economic, Physical and Political Security for Women, Lee Lakeman.

  • Human Trafficking

Trafficking In Persons Report, 10th edition. June 2010.
This American report summarizes the state and treatment of human trafficking around the world, including Canada.

 

 Rape and the Legal System

Rape and existing rape laws are among the strongest indicators of prevailing societal attitudes towards women, and Canadian rape laws reflect these patriarchal attitudes and discriminate against women. Few rapes are reported to the police, and even fewer go to trial and result in conviction. CASAC believes that it is essential that the law acknowledge that rape is an assault and Rape violates the most basic right of social life, namely the freedom from unprovoked attack on one's physical person. Rape takes many forms and faces, and consent may not be inferred from lack of resistance. [link to CASAC Policy]

Misuse of Polygraph Devices on Sexual Assault Victims

Despite our knowledge that polygraph devices register only physiological changes in response to emotional stress, and the fact that polygraph results are not admissible evidence in court, polygraph examinations continue to be used, especially on sexual assault victims more than victims of other crimes. We support the rights of sexual assault victims to refuse polygraph examinations, and endorse the abolition of polygraph use on rape victims.

Fighting for Freedom and Access to Healthcare and Medical Treatment

CASAC supports rights of victims of sexual assault to receive standardized, comprehensive and sensitive medical attention and access to a standardized Sexual Assault Evidence Kit. We uphold women’s rights regarding their lives and health, which include the choice between male and female physicians and nurses, proper follow-up procedures and access to information, entitlement to medical records, and access to morning after treatment, pregnancy counseling, safe abortion procedures and all associated information.

 Breaking our Silence: Educating and protecting Women

CASAC member centres are committed to breaking our silence by speaking of our reality and that of all women, and we work together as peers with women who have been raped or assaulted.We support member centres who work with women who choose to remain anonymous, who pledge confidentiality to women and to other member centres regardless of legislation. We support those centres that have pledged to speak out, and who release information as they deem appropriate which will protect, educate other women while respecting their wishes regarding their anonymity.

Women-Lead Autonomous Centres within the Women's Movement

CASAC believes that all member centres should be women led autonomous centres, and the Canadian Association’s own structures reflect this belief, including our conventions, conferences, and meetings directed toward and open to women-only delegates and observers.

The Common Oppression of Abused and Battered Women

Violence against women in society is manifested in many forms, and by men in many different roles. Communications between our centres reaffirms our understanding of the common oppression experienced by women who are battered and women who are sexually assaulted. As a result, CASAC’s regional representatives strive to compile and circulate information regarding battered women and the existing resources in each region.

 International Women's Day

CASAC recognizes the international nature of our struggle and wishes to express solidarity with other women's groups, as well as acknowledge the work of the anti-rape movement and the work of others to eradicate violence against women. We therefore endorse an International Women's Day of Protest and Celebration of March 8 and urge all member Centres to publicly protest the violence done to women.

 Psychiatry and Women 

Traditional psychiatry in medicine and its institutions are entrenched with sexist attitudes toward women, and have more often been used as a means to control and coerce women to accept the oppression and inequalities women face in society. Since women are so often victimized through the inappropriate prescription of drugs, subject to abusive treatments such as electo-convulsive therapy, rendered powerless via the Mental Health Act, and inappropriately diagnosed with depression, we view this treatment from the medical field as violence against women.

Fighting Pornography

Pornography is a form of hate material (written, visual, or audio) that depicts women and children as acceptable objects of sexual coercion, violence, degradation and/or dehumanization. This material further legitimizes these roles through continually entering mainstream media - condoning, reinforcing, and institutionalizing this sexual and economic exploitation. CASAC recognizes pornography as a form of violence against women, and aims to integrate a feminist perspective of pornography into their public education work.