SHIFT is a weeklong event that puts a spotlight on the issue of gender violence, including such topics as masculinity, intimate partner violence, legacies of colonialism and rape culture. Through film and dialogue, students and community members will have the opportunity to engage in a positive discussion on these issues. At the end of the week, a panel discussion will explore the role of the community, including colleges and universities, in acknowledging and addressing gender violence on campus and within our community.

Funding is provided in part by the Douglas College Faculty-Wide Professional Development Fund.

Highway of Tears (2015) is a virtual reality documentary about the notorious murders and disappearances of mainly Indigenous women between 1969 and 2011 on Highway 16 in British Columbia.

The film is four minutes long and viewed through a virtual reality headset. In addition to the film viewing, there will be informative materials and resources on hand, as well as a reading nook with related literature for those who wish to learn more about the Highway 16 cases.

EVENT DETAILS

Monday, Sept. 24, 2018 | 12:30 – 4:30pm (drop-in anytime)
New Westminster Campus, Concourse (fishbowl)

Maple: A Documentary is a documentary about Maple Batalia, a 19-year-old Simon Fraser University student who was brutally murdered by an ex-boyfriend near the SFU Surrey campus in September 2011.

The documentary is 47 minutes and will be followed by a moderated discussion and question-and-answer session with Jasleen Kaur, the film’s director.

EVENT DETAILS

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018 | 7:00 – 9:00pm
New Westminster Campus, Aboriginal Gathering Place
Register: https://shift-gender-violence.eventbrite.ca

The Mask You Live In is a documentary that follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while navigating America’s narrow definition of masculinity. Research shows that, compared to girls, boys in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with a behavior disorder, prescribed stimulant medications, fail school, binge drink, commit a violent crime or take their own lives.

This documentary is 97 minutes long and will be followed by a moderated discussion.

EVENT DETAILS

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018 | 7:00 – 9:30pm
New Westminster Campus, Aboriginal Gathering Place
Register: https://shift-gender-violence.eventbrite.ca

Luk’Luk’I presents a complex portrait of five Vancouverites living on the fringes of society during the 2010 Winter Olympics. The film delves into uncharted territory, blending compelling fiction with lamentable reality.

This film is 90 minutes long and will be followed by a moderated discussion and question-and-answer session with Angel, one of the participants in the film.

EVENT DETAILS

Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 | 7:00 – 9:00pm
New Westminster Campus, Aboriginal Gathering Place
Register: https://shift-gender-violence.eventbrite.ca

Luk'Luk'I (Official Trailer) from Wayne Wapeemukwa on Vimeo.

Violence against Women: Divisiveness, Power and Control, the Legal Landscape and the Role of Men

When we think of issues such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, domestic and dating violence, stalking and human trafficking, there is a tendency to think of them as “women’s issues,” crime that happens to women, impacts primarily women and that women talk about. But gender violence is not just a woman’s issue; it is a public health issue and a human rights issue that impacts everyone. Keynote speaker Adrienne Murray will dispel common myths about sexual harassment and non-stranger sexual assault and explain the existing divisiveness within our culture that puts men against women in framing the conversation around gender violence. She will discuss the role of men and the importance of their involvement in changing the narrative, the current legal landscape for victims in North America and what we can all do within our communities to change the story. After the keynote address, Murray will moderate a conversation with the panel speakers on what the community, including colleges and universities, can do to facilitate a positive shift in acknowledging and tackling the issue of gender violence.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER & MODERATOR

Adrienne Murray is a veteran law enforcement officer specializing in support, advocacy and investigation services for victims of sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence. Murray began her 17-year career in law enforcement with the City of Richmond in Virginia, before transitioning to the University of Richmond Police Department and serving as Chief of Police at both Davidson College in North Carolina and Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. Murray is a member of the National Association of Clery Compliance Officers and Professionals (NACCOP) and the Executive Director of Training and Compliance Activities at D. Stafford & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in campus safety and security – including sexual misconduct response and investigation – for North American post-secondary institutions.

PANELISTS

Kasari Govender is the Executive Director of West Coast LEAF (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund), and has represented the organization on equality rights cases at all levels of court. She taught law at the University of British Columbia, is the founding President of Rise Women’s Legal Centre and a member of the University of Victoria’s Board of Governors. She speaks regularly on access to justice, women’s equality and legal responses to gender-based violence. Govender earned her Master’s Degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford.

Harlan Pruden is a board member for Qmunity, the home for Vancouver's LGBTQ2S+ community, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Vancouver Public Library, and a representative to the International Indigenous Peoples Working Group on HIV/AIDS. Harlan is an educator with the BC Center for Disease Control’s Chee Mamuk (Indigenous public health program) and the Managing Editor of Two-SpiritJournal.com. Harlan co-founded New York City's NorthEast Two Spirit Society and served as the principal Two-Spirit consultant for Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center and Trans Care BC. Harlan served on the U.S. Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) as advisor to the Secretary of Health & Human Services and the White House. Harlan is a proud member of the Cree Nation of northeastern Alberta.

Lisa Smith is an instructor in the Department of Sociology at Douglas College. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Carleton University. Her research centers on gender, youth and sexuality, gender-based violence and community activism and engagement. Smith’s work has appeared in a variety of peer-reviewed publications and edited collections, including Studies in the Maternal, Social Compass and Girlhood Studies. She has worked as a research consultant for many years in the not-for-profit and community sectors, particularly within the areas of youth, gender and health. Smith is co-investigator with McGill University’s IMPACTS project, which addresses sexual violence on campus, and a member of the college-wide committee at Douglas that developed the Sexual Violence and Misconduct Prevention and Response policy. She has played a supportive role in developing training and programming for students around consent and active-bystander training.

Chloe Garcia is a student at McGill University, a senior research assistant and the lead PhD mentor for the IMPACTS team, a project that aims to understand and dismantle rape culture in universities. Garcia is a member of the Committee for the Implementation of the Policy Against Sexual Violence at McGill University, which reviews and seeks to improve the current reporting processes and support services. Her PhD research investigates how online media teaches about sexual violence and sexual consent, and youth perceptions of YouTube videos as tools for sexuality education in the 21st century.

EVENT DETAILS

Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 | 7:00 – 9:00pm
New Westminster Campus, Laura C. Muir Theatre
Register: https://shift-gender-violence.eventbrite.ca