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Linda Christina Redgrave: One year after Jian Ghomeshi’s acquittal, I’m keeping the conversation going

She was Witness 1 in Ghomeshi's trial. She feared the dialogue around sexual assault would fizzle out. It's not.

Linda Christina Redgrave

It’s been a year since I took my final police escorted ride to hear Judge William B. Horkins deliver the verdict for the Jian Ghomeshi trial. Lucy, Witness 3 (still under publication ban) and I gathered in the Victim/Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) room accompanied by lawyers and friends to hear the outcome of this much […] More »
September-October 2016

Rape survivors deserve justice

The government must review how sexual assault cases are handled

Karyn L. Freedman

For our special 50th anniversary issue, Canada’s brightest, boldest, and most rebellious thinkers, doers, and creators share their best big ideas. Through ideas macro and micro, radical and everyday, we present 50 essays, think pieces, and calls to action. Picture: plans for sustainable food systems, radical legislation, revolutionary health care, a greener planet, Indigenous self-government, […] More »

Gender Block: UBC, sexual harassment, and cover-up culture

Why won't the University of British Columbia seriously investigate women's complaints of rape and sexual assault on campus?

Hillary Di Menna

For years the University of British Columbia (UBC) has told those speaking out against sexual assault to stay silent. “In January 2014, I reported a graduate colleague named Dmitry Mordvinov to the UBC for his unprofessional, sexual harassment behavior I observed,” writes Glynnis Kirchmeier on November 10 in a letter to colleagues, her former students, […] More »
January-February 2015

Sticks and stones

Hillary Di Menna@HillaryDiMenna

Fierce feminist Julie Lalonde won’t let backlash stop her from fighting for women’s rights ATTENTION SEEKING FEMINIST. Extraordinary Franco-Ontarian. Award-winning feminist buzzkill. Both good and bad, Julie Lalonde has heard it all—this is how she knows her feminist action is effective. “The resistance we face to our work is real and palpable,” says Lalonde. “To […] More »

Throwback Thursday: Rape’s Progress

Kelsey Braithwaite

In the last decade, the definition of sexual assault has grown to encompass more hateful or taboo acts. Most Canadians now recognize terms like incest, molestation, pedophilia, rape, and victim blaming. Many people even recognize these words can be a painful trigger to victims. Unfortunately, this does not mean we know the meaning of these […] More »

Gender Block: when private locker room talk goes public

Hillary Di Menna

“Locker room boy talk or the perpetuation of rape culture?” Has been the debate since the student body president of the University of Ottawa spoke out about a sexual conversation where she was made the topic. In a statement released yesterday, March 2, through Facebook Notes Anne-Marie Roy writes, “The fact that the five men […] More »

WTF Wednesday: Casual rape references on campus

Simon Treanor

So this might surprise you, but in today’s crazy mixed up world, subjects such as “rape” and “suicide” can be considered a little controversial, especially if you, oh I don’t know, combine those two subjects and make a homework assignment out of it. Surprised? Memorial University teacher John Shieh certainly was when the assignment he […] More »

WTF Wednesday: Gender role reversals in sexual assault

Catherine McIntyre

Canadian women made headlines this week for some (gender) inappropriate behaviour. On Monday, three girls pleaded not guilty to pimping out other teenage girls in an Ontario based court. Together, they’re accused of using a Facebook and Twitter party ruse to first lure and then force young women into a sex trafficking ring. The Crown […] More »

WTF Wednesday: A modest proposal for sexual liberation by Barbara Amiel

Catherine McIntyre

Barbara Amiel would have aced my Grade 10 English class. One of our first assignments was to come up with a modest proposal—a satirical essay suggesting a ridiculous way to deal with a real issue, like gay rights, poverty or disease. In a Maclean’s column this week, Amiel proposed how to create an “anything goes […] More »

WTF Wednesday: University says rape victim violated school’s honour code by reporting assault

Catherine McIntyre

What undermines human rights more than sexual abuse? Having no consolation that, if violated, those rights will be defended. Last spring, Landen Gambill, a student at the University of North Carolina, reported to the university’s “Honor Court” (a board of students and faculty) that she was sexually assaulted. Gambill’s alleged rapist, her ex-boyfriend, was found […] More »