The Defence Team marks the 30th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

November 23, 2021 - Defence Stories

This year, the Defence Team marks the 30^th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website). This annual campaign unites people around the world to call out and speak up against acts of gender-based violence (GBV).

The campaign runs from November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website), to December 10, World Human Rights Day (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website). As part of the 16 Days, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website) takes place on December 6, in honour of the 14 young women who were killed at Polytechnique Montréal in 1989.

This year’s theme is 16 Days and Beyond. It calls on us to continue efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of GBV year-round, beyond this campaign.

GBV is a violation of human rights and everyone has the right to live free from violence. Many across Canada continue to face violence every day because of their gender, gender expression, gender identity or perceived gender: 30 per cent of women, and 59 per cent of transgender and gender diverse people have been sexually assaulted at some point since age 15 compared to 8 per cent of men. Violence can have long-lasting and negative health, social and economic effects that span generations. This can lead to cycles of violence and abuse within families and sometimes whole communities.

During the 16 Days campaign, there are various ways to show your support:

November 25

Wear purple to raise awareness about GBV and its impacts

November 26

Register for the event Making it our Business to Support Employees Dealing with Domestic Violence

December 6

Wear a white ribbon to honour the victims of the 1989 Polytechnique Montréal tragedy

December 10

Stand with those who seek and work towards equality, safety, freedom, and justice for all and visit the UN’s website (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website) to learn more about World Human Rights Day

Related links

• 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – Women and Gender Equality Canada
• UN Women - 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
• Awareness and education toolkit for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Supports and services for Defence Team members and their families

If you, or someone you know has experienced gender-based violence, please consider contacting the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre or one of the many support services and resources available to Defence Team members. To learn more, visit Get help following an incident of sexual misconduct.

If you would like to learn more about options for filing a complaint or reporting an incident involving a Defence Team member, visit the Workplace conflict, misconduct, and harassment resolution web page.