81 results found:
Financial systems are not neutral, they are embedded in broader social and gendered contexts and are shaped by them. Being gender-inclusive in financial tech (fintech) design inherently requires a trauma-informed […]
This brief present three key principles to guide the development of effective responses to technology-facilitated financial abuse in the context of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Identified through literature from Canada, […]
WomanACT’s feedback to the Toronto Police Service Board’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan is the result of a collaborative process informed by the lived experiences and expertise of survivors, frontline organizations, researchers, […]
This brief offers a summary of some of the key challenges East Asian women face in Canada, including racism, gendered violence, and economic exclusion. These challenges were specifically targeted at […]
This Asian Heritage Month, we release our latest issue brief with heavy hearts, following the devastating tragedy that occurred on April 27, 2025, during the Lapu Lapu Festival Day in […]
Violence against women (VAW) remains a predominant driver of women’s homelessness. Nevertheless, in many countries, including Canada, policy and programmatic responses to VAW and homelessness have developed in isolation from […]
On April 11th , WomanACT submitted a formal letter to Premier Doug Ford and all Members of Provincial Parliament, calling for the revival and passage of Bill 173 — The […]
Throughout Canadian history, Black women have faced slavery, discrimination in healthcare, segregation in education, and workplace inequities. Despite these challenges, Black communities have continuously resisted oppression, advocating for justice, dignity, […]
The diverse identities within Latin American communities in Canada stem from a colonial history that erased their complexities and reinforced racial and gender inequalities—practices that persist today. This report offers […]
It can be challenging to talk about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) or family violence. Knowing how to respond or start a conversation can make a difference. WomanACT’s C.A.R.E © model […]
On November 12th, 2024, Harmy Mendoza, the Executive Director of Woman ACT, spoke at the Toronto Police Service Board Meeting about the increasing incidents of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and […]
Economic and financial abuse impacts every part of a survivor’s life, causing stress, anxiety, depression, and a loss of self-esteem. It often leads to poverty, housing instability, and limited career […]
While research on financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence remains limited, financial abuse is commonly used to exert power and control over women, often occurring alongside other […]
Housing stability plays a crucial role in the safety and well-being of survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). When faced with renovictions, many women and gender-diverse individuals experience increased housing insecurity, […]
The healthcare system is one of the most used public services by survivors of intimate partner violence, however the barriers to healthcare access are significantly increased for survivors who are […]
On August 14th, 2024, WomanACT’s Executive Director, Harmy Mendoza, spoke at the Province’s Standing Committee on Justice Policy as part of their study on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). WomanACT emphasized […]
The development of the “Bill 173 – The Current State of Intimate Partner Violence in Ontario” resource package has been a collaborative effort with our members and community partners. Their […]
Understanding the legislative process is crucial to grasping how decisions are made, and laws are passed in our province. In Ontario, the journey of a bill from its initial proposal […]
Designed to build organizational capacity, this guide draws on principles of anti-racist, anti-oppressive (ARAO), and trauma-informed practice (TIP) to create a supportive organizational framework for those working in the gender-based violence (GBV) sector […]
Designed with service providers in mind, this guide draws on anti-racist, anti-oppressive (ARAO), and trauma-informed practice (TIP) principles to provide a framework to support those in the gender-based violence (GBV) […]
Indigenous, Black and Racialized women face unique, intersecting, and compounding forms of gender and racial discrimination that impact their employment opportunities and experiences in the workplace. This brief provides an […]
Crises cause disruptions and changes to structures, systems, and patterns, but the extent and magnitude of the disruptions or changes are rarely understood. This is especially true in prolonged crises […]
Survivors shared their challenges navigating the legal system on their journey to safety and stability throughout the pandemic in research conducted by WomanACT and University of Guelph. The infographic looks […]
Survivors shared their challenges navigating the legal system on their journey to safety and stability throughout the pandemic in research conducted by WomanACT and University of Guelph. The infographic looks […]
Older women living with disabilities face various forms of abuse, often underreported due to barriers like stigma and isolation. This issue brief raises awareness about the structural disadvantages faced by […]
Survivors living in private rental housing are faring worse than other Toronto renters. The infographic looks at the living conditions of survivors, financial limitations, and eviction related to gender-based violence […]
How can rental housing work better for survivors? Gender-based violence is a common cause of homelessness among women and gender-diverse people in Toronto and survivors face unique challenges to housing. This […]
Housing is critical to survivors’ safety, and there are opportunities for housing providers and landlords to develop policies and practices to protect the tenancies and safety of survivors. Survivors’ experiences […]
Older women face disproportionate rates of violence in their communities and homes. This violence can be physical, emotional, economic, or sexual. This infographic breaks down statistical information about violence against […]
Age and gender both significantly impact older women’s experiences of violence. This infographic demonstrates the interplay of gender and age in many areas of an older woman’s life and how […]
It can be difficult for older women to connect and find appropriate services and supports for their needs. This is because most services lack an understanding of older survivors’ needs […]
Domestic violence is the fastest growing type of workplace violence in Canada. Domestic violence impacts employees’ ability to maintain employment and be productive at work. Domestic violence also frequently spills […]
Domestic violence can impact employees’ ability to find and maintain work. It can impact employees’ productivity and safety at work. However, there is workplace legislation in place across Canada to […]
Women and gender diverse people in the criminal justice system have high rates of violence and trauma in their lifetime. Trauma can be both a direct and indirect pathway into […]
Intimate partner violence is closely connected to women’s economic security, including their income, employment, and housing. Research has shown that intimate partner violence both directly and indirectly impacts survivors’ ability […]
Economic abuse can be any form of financial control, abuse, mistreatment, and neglect. Senior immigrant women can have unique experiences of economic abuse because of intersecting identities of gender, age […]
Senior immigrant women occupy intersecting identities of gender, age and immigration. Each of these have been known to impact experiences of gender-based violence and help seeking. Furthermore, these intersections can […]
Violations of the right to housing are largely gendered, with women and gender-diverse people more likely to experience inadequate housing and homelessness. The right to housing is defined as all […]
The right to housing is more than just a roof over one’s head. It is the right to safe, affordable and permanent housing. Survivors living in violent situations are experiencing […]
Women have different needs and behaviours when it comes to public transit than men. Women tend to take several short trips in one day and often link trips together. Women […]
Women are at greater risk of sexual harassment and unwanted attention on public transit. The risk and perceived risk are one of the most influential factors in women’s transit decisions. […]
Public transit is a gender issue. While women are more likely to use public transit, they also face increased barriers to accessing transit, mainly, risks to their safety. Access to […]
Intimate partner violence is directly connected to women’s economic security, including survivors’ employment and career progression. Studies show that intimate partner violence is associated with job instability and job loss. […]
The rise of the #MeToo movement has shifted dramatically society’s awareness of gender and sexual harassment, but global rates of gender and sexual harassment remain high. While there are many […]
Employment sabotage and disruption can include tactics to prevent a survivor from working as well as making it difficult for a survivor to maintain work. These tactics can be used […]
Intimate partner violence can have a significant impact on women’s economic security and employment. It can lead to job instability and loss. This can be because of poor mental health, trauma, […]
Most of the housing options for women experiencing intimate partner violence have something in common: they place the onus on women to leave home in order to reach safety. As […]
Intimate partner violence can have an impact on a survivor’s employment. Intimate partner violence can lead to job instability and loss. This can be because of poor mental health, trauma, […]
There is a significant correlation between the experiences of intimate partner violence and criminalization among Black women. Black women with multiple intersecting identities of marginalization such as race, class, citizenship […]
Research shows that experiences of intimate partner violence are a common pathway into the criminal justice system for survivors, especially racialized survivors. Women may be forced into criminal activities by […]
Racialized women are the fastest growing prison population in Canada and many have experiences of trauma. Women in the criminal justice system often have extensive histories of trauma and prisons […]
Safe at Home programs support women to remain in their own home or independent housing from leaving a violent relationship. WomanACT conducts research on Safe at Home programs and policies […]
Financial abuse is a common form of intimate partner violence. Financial abuse can involve restricting access to household income and benefits, withholding financial information, monitoring spending, excluding a partner from […]
Risk assessment in the violence against women sector is a critical strategy to help identify the likelihood of repeat or increased violence and prevent further harm. As part of the […]
While the research base about technology as a means to perpetuate intimate partner violence has grown, there is limited information available about how technology can support women experiencing violence. With […]
Community-based research is an approach to research that places community at the forefront and aims to achieve social justice through social action and change. At WomanACT, we are always learning […]
Most of the housing options for women fleeing violence have something in common: they place the onus on women to leave home in order to reach safety. However, policies and […]
Access to justice is a human rights and equity issue that is significant to all Canadians, including women experiencing violence. In the last decade, technology has been identified as a […]
In January 2021, the Canadian government announced a commitment to develop a National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. Leading up to the development of the Plan, we undertook consultations […]
Financial well-being has a significant impact on women’s safety. Women’s economic insecurity can marginalize women, increasing their risk of victimization. It is also a barrier to their safety. Financial hardship […]
Risk assessment, safety planning and information sharing are common practices in the violence against women sector to help identify the likelihood of repeat or increased violence and prevent further harm. […]
Multi-agency collaboration, including the development of formal partnership arrangement and information sharing protocols, have been recognized as an approach that increases the effectiveness of services in responding to and reducing […]
In September 2020, the government of Canada announced the new Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) to help address the urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians by rapidly creating new affordable housing. […]
Technology-based intimate partner violence encompasses acts of abuse that are committed with the use of technology to exert power or control over a current or former spouse. While the causes […]
Technology and violence against women are closely connected. While technology can help women access information and services, it can also be used to perpetuate violence. This infographic looks at the […]
Technology creates new ways to perpetuate violence against women, including sending harassing text messages, tracking someone using the GPS on their device or threatening to share someone’s private images without […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on survivors of gender-based violence and the organizations that support them. Health and safety measures to curb the spread of the virus […]
In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act (ESA) outlines various leaves of absence that employees are legally entitles to take. Domestic or sexual violence leave was added to the ESA in […]
Financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence involves behaviours that control a woman’s ability to gain and use economic resources. It is a common tactic used by abusers […]
Financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence involves behaviours that control a woman’s ability to gain and use economic resources. It is a common tactic used by abusers […]
Financial abuse involves behaviours that control a woman’s ability to gain and use economic resources, impacting their ability to be economically independent and self-sufficient. This infographic looks at the different […]
Despite limited research on financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence, it is clear that financial abuse is a commonly used form of power and control over women […]
Gender inequities still persist across the City of Toronto. Women, girls, trans and non-binary individuals face higher rates of violence and continue to be murdered by their partners and ex-partners […]
Poverty and violence against women are interconnected. Poverty marginalizes women, increasing their risk of victimization. Women experiencing violence often experience financial harm, including loss of control over finances and/or limited […]
Violence against women is one of the main causes of homelessness and housing instability among women and children, and the lack of access to safe and affordable housing is one […]
From a public-policy perspective, violence against women will not be solved through a single targeted policy on violence. Public policies shape and create social conditions. Policies can create social conditions […]
Achieving an income-security system that addresses the structural forces that contribute to women’s inequality is a high priority for Violence against Women sector representatives and is an essential step to […]
Housing is a key barrier to fleeing violence. Survivors commonly face homelessness and housing insecurity. The portable housing benefit pilot program is a provincial initiative that provides survivors of domestic […]
In 2016, the government of Canada started to pursue the development of a National Housing Strategy and welcomed feedback and input from community organizations across the country. This report explores […]
The Policies Matter Project undertook a significant gender-based analysis of policy and the impact of policy intersections on women who experience violence, and the project constitutes a remarkable contribution to […]
The Policies Matter tool shows common policy impacts experienced by women and the ways in which policies and policy areas intersect. The tool also demonstrates the barriers within programs and […]