Advocacy
The Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW) works to bring a gender-based violence (GBV) lens to aspects of everyday life where we can help prevent and address violence. We recognize the intersectionality and interlocking of oppressions and seek to address these realities in our advocacy. We are committed to the struggle for social justice for all survivors of GBV and other individuals who are marginalized and oppressed, and to advancing the cause of decolonization, reproductive rights, and disability, queer and trans justice.
Statement on the choice of the Canadian Tire Centre to host Jordan Peterson January 30th
OCTEVAW demands that the City of Ottawa take steps to support survivors
OCTEVAW demands the City’s leadership take action to end violence.
Reduce the increase in Police Budgets and Invest in Caring Communities
Calls to Action #everychildmatters
The femicide of Hanadi Mohammed was preventable
First Annual MENA Lesbian and Queer Women’s Pride Day
The connections between sexual violence and state violence
A statement by organizations, businesses, and labour unions on the choice of the Canadian Tire Centre to host Jordan Peterson for a forthcoming show on January 30th, 2023 as part of his wider tour. We are calling on talent agency, Creative Arts Agency, to cancel their Ottawa show and drop Peterson as a client; and Ottawa City Council to show its commitment to the motion passed at the December 7th council meeting around measures for the LGBTQ+ community and send a letter to the Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa Senators Group and Creative Artists Agency clearly outlining the concerns of residents and their desire to cancel the show.
An open letter to the City Council of Ottawa on behalf of the residents of Ottawa who were affected by the Derecho storm that took place on May 21, 2022. Post-disaster, isolation is increased and social networks are disrupted or damaged - as the pandemic has shown us - these disruptions can increase incidents of gender-based violence while simultaneously shrinking a survivor’s community and support network. We call on the city to prioritize victims of gender-based violence when disasters like these occur.
January 31, 2022 (Ottawa) — What is occurring in our city is horrifying and traumatizing for Ottawa residents. Make no mistake, the hate mob occupying the downtown core is violent. As a coalition representing community-based organizations dedicated to ending violence against women and gender-based violence, the hateful messaging, intimidation, and racism currently taking place in our streets is what our member agencies address daily. It targets women, Indigenous communities, Black and racialized communities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, among others.
July 2021: We request that the Committee amend the budget so that the proposed 3% increase to the Ottawa Police Service is reduced to 0%. We need to invest in supports for survivors and those who cause harm to enable the conditions to limit violence as much as possible
June 2021: An open letter on the rights of Indigenous peoples to Justin Trudeau. We call on all government officials, and especially the Prime Minister, to move beyond reconciliation
June 2021: We are outraged at the killing of Hanadi Mohammed and the attack on her daughter. Hanadi Mohammed should be with us today and we mourn her loss and the loss to so many communities. Our systems failed to protect her.
June 2021: A joint statement recognizing the first anniversary of the death of lesbian activist Sarah Hegazi and announcing the inauguration of a Pride Day for Lesbian and Queer Women from the Middle East and North Africa.
September 2020: We want to acknowledge the flaws within the criminal justice system and police practices that fail survivors and members of the community. That is why we are critical of the police responses that resulted in Abdirahman Abdi’s death.
#JusticeforChantelMoore &
#MMIWG2 SLGBTQQIA
#JusticeforRegis
June 2020: We honour and remember the life of Chantel Moore who was killed by a police officer during a ‘wellness check’ as a result of gendered and racialized violence. We condemn police services for their ongoing violence and incarceration of Indigenous and Black communities.
May 2020: The Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW), is saddened and outraged at the injustice and racism faced by Black people in Canada and the murder of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, in yet another onslaught of anti-Black violence.