A Week of Reflection. A Call to Action.
From October 20-26, YW Kitchener-Waterloo joins YWCAs across the country and around the world in marking a Week Without Violence, a global movement dedicated to ending gender-based violence in all its forms.
This year’s theme is Rise for Peace, a call to action to build peace by centering care, equity, and community-led solutions. At its heart, this movement reminds us that peace is not passive, instead it requires us to confront injustice, challenge systems that cause harm, and stand with survivors.
At YW Kitchener-Waterloo, this week is deeply personal. It’s a time to honour survivors, challenge systems that enable harm, and recommit to building a future where care, equity, and connection are at the heart of everything we do.
why this week maters
- More than 60% of Indigenous women in Canada have experienced physical or sexual assault—nearly double the rate of non-Indigenous women.
- In 2023, Waterloo Region officially declared gender-based violence an epidemic.
- Ontario has the third highest rate of sex trafficking in the country.
Violence doesn’t always look the same. It can be loud and visible or quiet and hidden in plain sight. It’s felt in homes, online spaces, schools, workplaces, and even in systems meant to protect us.
And while it impacts many, not all experiences are recognized equally. Indigenous women, racialized women, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, people living in poverty, and those with disabilities are disproportionately affected.
Here in Waterloo Region, we’ve named it: gender-based violence is an epidemic.
And still, federal GBV funding is at risk of being cut by 80% in the coming years. Survivors deserve better. Our communities deserve better.
Earlier this month, YW Kitchener-Waterloo joined more than a dozen regional organizations in signing a letter of concern to Prime Minister Carney, led by Waterloo Region’s Gender-Based Strategy Leadership Table, outlining the long-term consequences of these cuts on survivors and community safety. You can read the full letter here.
what we're doing at ywkw
- Sharing impactful infographics, statistics, and survivor-informed resources on social media
- Continuing our frontline work—including emergency shelter, supportive housing, and holistic care for women, children, and gender-diverse people
- Joining with the Waterloo Region GBV Strategy Leadership Table to raise our voices against the proposed 80% funding cut to Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), which would devastate GBV services across the country
- Offering space for reflection and dialogue with staff and community
