Learn more about how you can attend global rally Take Back the Night, which protests sexual and gender-based violence
On Sept. 21, an event part of the worldwide movement Take Back the Night will be held at Hamilton City Hall Forecourt. Take Back the Night is an annual rally and march in support of the fight to end sexual violence, gender-based violence and street harassment.
These events are held around the world every year and one has been hosted in Hamilton by the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area for over 40 years.
SACHA’s public education coordinator Miranda Jurilj explained that the movement originally began as a protest for women who felt unsafe or were assaulted or harassed while walking home at night and has since expanded to encompass a broader mission.
“[Take Back the Night] has continued to grow and become this protest all forms of gender-based violence, sexual violence and street harassment. A way for survivors, their allies and communities to assert that everybody has the right to be safe in every part of life. It has been an event that has grown to not just [be] a march and rally, but [also] a celebration of community,” said Jurilj.
[Take Back the Night] has continued to grow and become this protest all forms of gender-based violence, sexual violence and street harassment. A way for survivors, their allies and communities to assert that everybody has the right to be safe in every part of life.
Miranda Jurilj, public education coordinator, Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area
The theme of this year’s Take Back the Night is Community Power Through Collective Resistance. Jurilj explained that this theme aims to emphasize the importance of uniting all that are fighting for a world free of oppression and violence.
The theme also hopes to bring intergenerational solidarity to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence through honouring past activists.
"There have been people who have led the way for us to have Take Back the Night in the form that it is now. There are people doing the work now and our hope is that the future generations won't have to do this work—that it'll be a world that people are thriving in and not needing to fight against sexual violence and gender-based violence,” said Jurilj.
There have been people who have led the way for us to have Take Back the Night in the form that it is now. There are people doing the work now and our hope is that the future generations won't have to do this work—that it'll be a world that people are thriving in and not needing to fight against sexual violence and gender-based violence.
Miranda Jurilj, public education coordinator, Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area
In Aug. 2023, intimate partner violence was declared an epidemic in Hamilton. In 2022, 12,514 domestic violence calls were made to Hamilton police and an additional 7,660 calls were made to non-police, violence against women crisis support lines.
Wil Prakash Fujarczuk, manager of the Sexual Violence Prevention Education Program within the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office, shared sentiments on the significance of this year’s theme and the importance of unity and strength among the McMaster University and Hamilton community.
“As an office is so important for us to really send the message to folks on campus, given the disturbingly high rates that we see on like campuses across North America, that there are people working to create a safer world. There's like so much support in that sense of solidarity,” said Prakash Fujarczuk.
In preparation for the event, SACHA hosted a sign-making party on campus. Jurilj shared that the sign-making event gives marchers the chance to put their message out there and create a sign that is personally meaningful, while also allowing marchers to become acquainted before the rally.
The main event takes place on Sept. 21 at 6:00 p.m., where marchers can attend an Indigenous artists and small business market, hear live music from local musicians and listen to a drag story time lead by McMaster’s own Unita Assk.
The main event takes place on Sept. 21 at 6:00 p.m., where marchers can attend an Indigenous artists and small business market, hear live music from local musicians and listen to a drag story time lead by McMaster’s own Unita Assk.
Starting at 8:00 p.m., speakers will kick off the march speaking towards this year’s theme and how it intersects with their own work and activism.
Jurilj explained that the march itself will proceed at a slower pace to be as accessible as possible to all who want to participate. Additionally, DARTS buses will be available for those who prefer to ride along.
“There will be a band playing, a marching band during the march, so we are going to be as loud as possible and take up that space and feel good about reclaiming our rights to safety.” said Jurilj.
More information on this year’s Take Back the Night and SACHA’s services can be found on SACHA’s Instagram.
Things to remember on the journey of (re)discovering sex
By: Matthew Aksamit, contributor
CW: sexual assault, rape culture
This is written from the personal perspective of the writer. Everyone’s experience looks and feels different and can by no means be blanketed by a single perspective. This article has been edited by The Silhouette and Student Health Education Centre for clarity.
Right off the bat, I feel the need to clarify what I mean by sexual assault. After all, we are in a capitalist institution in which the normalization of rape culture is not only perpetuated, but also thrives — the university. I have heard countless “justifications” of assault: they were drinking or otherwise intoxicated; they were wearing provocative clothing; they were alone in a bad neighbourhood; or it does not count because it was their partner. The list goes on. There are also complexities when it comes to legal definitions of assault.
So, when I say this article is primarily for survivors of sexual assault, who am I talking about? Ultimately, I am talking about anyone who believes I am talking about them. If you are vocal about your experience or hesitant to share it, if you have pursued legal measures or if you have not, if you feel that twinge in your stomach every time you hear the word assault, or if you do not even know what to call your experience, if you are someone who has had a non-consensual encounter of a sexual nature, this is for you. These are the things I wish I knew and while I know it will not fix everything, I hope it helps.
Sexual desire after assault manifests differently for every survivor!
While some individuals may experience a reduced sexual drive (hyposexuality) as a result of sexual assault, some may experience the opposite (hypersexuality). It is important to note that both, in addition to falling anywhere on the spectrum of sexual desire, are equally valid reactions to trauma. The way you feel after assault should never be used to diminish or invalidate your experience. My personal experience manifested in hypersexuality and represented an effort to reclaim control over a narrative in which I previously didn’t have it.
Boundaries are your new best friend!
No, really! They are there to help make sure you are doing what makes you feel safe, comfortable and sexy. Boundaries are interlocked with consent and both are necessary to ensure a) this is sex, which requires consent to differentiate it from trauma and/or assault and b) you get to do the things that actively excite and please you!
Boundaries also extend far beyond the realm of sex and practicing establishing boundaries in other areas of your life, such as saying “no” to an event you really do not want to attend, can help make it feel more natural.
Give yourself time and space to mourn and heal!
One of the things I struggled with most after being assaulted was what to do after. I am very much the kind of person to try and shrug things off, get back to work and bury myself in things. Unfortunately, this meant I never really processed the trauma until it started affecting me months later. I had nightmares, panic attacks and, above all, I was confused as to what I should do.
This is where giving myself a space to mourn and heal came in. Creating a safe(r) space for myself meant surrounding myself with close friends who gave me their support and presence when it came to seeking medical care and contacting a mental health professional and a doctor. I was lucky enough to be able to see a therapist for free for a few months. Through these sessions I was able to talk through my experiences while being heard, supported and validated, all of which were necessary in my journey.
I also realize, however, that therapy is not available for everyone due to financial and other barriers, so I would also like to mention some free local and campus-based resources: the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) offers a 24/7 survivor support line, the Student Health Education Centre offers anonymous, confidential pregnancy testing, peer support and referrals to local services, the Women and Gender Equity Network offers support to all victims of sexual and gender-based violence and the Pride Community Centre offers support to 2SLGBTQIA+ and questioning individuals. The Student Wellness Centre also offers valuable resources to students.
You deserve peace and goodness!
When I was assaulted, in some twisted way, I thought I somehow deserved it. I thought it was my fault and I was ultimately responsible for my own unhappiness. I struggled and, to this day, struggle with the notion that I am a bad person. While this has not completely faded from my life, one of the things that has helped has been trying to take note of the inherent dignity I have and deserve because I am a human being. I am not perfect but in no way does this make me at fault for the situations in which I was taken advantage of.
So, what does sex after assault look like? Well, it looks different for everybody. What is important to remember is healing happens at a different pace for everyone and your path is not abnormal because it does not line up with someone else’s. And remember, as long as there is consent, there is no such thing as doing sex wrong! Explore, have fun and know you deserve all the light the sun has to offer.
C/O Wenzdae Dimaline
cw: sexual assault
SACHA brings the community together online to take back the night on stolen land
Every year, the Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton holds an event known as Take Back the Night. SACHA is a feminist, non-profit, community-based organization that raises awareness regarding sexual assault and provides support for people who have experienced sexual violence.
At Take Back the Night, community members gather together to walk an hour-long march to show solidarity for ending sexual violence in front of the Hamilton City Hall. Aside from the march, Take Back the Night also involves other solidarity events that people can join in on.
This year, for their 40th anniversary, Take Back the Night had a unique theme — Taking Back the Night on Stolen Land.
Bringing the focus on Indigenous women, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people, this year’s theme aims to raise awareness of how colonization leads to sexual violence, gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
“The theme we hope will be a reminder to people that all justice work must be rooted in decolonization and Indigenous sovereignty,” stated SACHA’s announcement.
“Take Back the Night has always been about taking up and reclaiming space but when we take to the streets and take up space we have to remember we are taking up space on stolen Indigenous land that has been the land of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek peoples for long before colonization.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Take Back the Night event was conducted online. On Sept. 16, SACHA posted a YouTube video for the main event, including a variety of clips from Indigenous women, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse performers, artists, musicians, poets and singers.
The virtual event kicks off with an impactful clip of community members holding signs saying things such as, “We have the power. We have the might. These lands are Indigenous. Take back the night” and “Claim our bodies. Claim our right. Take a stand. Take back the night” while shouting loud and clear, “Taking back the night on stolen land. We believe survivors.”
Following a land acknowledgement and theme introduction, Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, Director of SACHA, provided an overview of the 40-year history behind Take Back the Night.
“We will not tolerate gender-based violence. We will not tolerate sexual violence. We will not tolerate street harassment. We shout loud and proud that we deserve a world where we are not only safe, but to be free, to thrive as our full selves. We shout. We cry. We know that you are not alone and we shout that we believe survivors,”
jessica bonilla-damptey
Two different honour songs sung by Indigenous folks were then played. The first song was sung by Nicole Jones from Mississauga of the Credit First Nations to honour women, girls and Two-Spirited folks. The second song was sung by Jordan Carrier who is Plains Cree to honour the water.
Next, the Red Dress Project was discussed. The project involves red dresses hung up on tress and across cities each year to draw attention to the issue of countless Indigenous women being missing or murdered across the country.
Tristan, a Two-Spirited Indigenous community member, explained the significance behind the red dresses.
“Their colour symbolizes the emotion, the anger and the rage we feel — the blood of these built women and our connection to them. Over 4000 women are missing in Canada and the RCMP reports maybe less than a quarter of that. But these aren’t just statistics, these are people. These are mothers and aunties and sisters who supported us and took care of us and now they’re gone. Missing or murdered and nobody’s looking for them,” said Tristan.
Tristan explained his frustration with the lack of awareness non-Indigenous people have of the issue.
“That’s just how things were growing up and continued to be. And now I’m hearing people start to realize what’s going on that aren’t a part of this community with this shock. And I get surprised when I feel my own shock when I think how did you not realize this was happening? How did you not realize that I show up with somebody one day and they’re gone the next? And that’s just another number missing,” said Tristan.
By the half-way mark of the online event, SACHA pieced together a multitude of messages from community members dedicated to Indigenous youth.
Reading their messages, each person reminded Indigenous youth of their value, “Dear Indigenous youth, you are loved. Dear Indigenous youth, you bring so much joy and brightness into the world and you have my thanks for being wonderfully you. Dear Indigneous youth, you don’t have to look or sound a certain way to be Two-Spirited. You are who you are. End of story.”
Finally, before closing off the event, Joan, co-chair of Sisters in Spirit, an organization that works to educate the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women, addressed the Red Ribbon Skirt Project.
The project began with a group of women gathering together in response to a lack of police action regarding the Picton case when 33 women were found murdered in Vancouver, many of which were Indigenous women.
The project involves sewing skirts for the members of the families and marching every year on May 5th to raise awareness. Joan touched on the impact that the project has and what it means for the families of the missing women.
“The families really need to have the support and they need to have the acknowledgement that they have’t been forgotten...It’s not just one day that people go missing. It’s everyday,” said Joan.
As a closing honour song, singers and dancers from a performance group known as Spirit Vision performed a song called Red Dress. The song holds a message saying that Indigenous men need to protect Indigenous women from further harm.
Take Back the Night is more than just about showing solidarity against sexual violence. At it’s core, it is an event that brings together the community, reminds people that they are not alone and brings to light issues that are too often dismissed. This year, even without an in-person rally, the community found its own ways to remind all of us — there is still work to be done.
SACHA launches chat and text support service for survivors of sexualized violence
C/O Gilles Lambert
cw: sexual violence
SACHA, a non-profit community-based sexual assault centre in Hamilton, has launched a chat and text support service for survivors of sexualized violence of all genders and their allies. This new service launched on International Women’s Day as part of their overall commitment of the feminist movement to support survivors.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SACHA saw a dramatic increase in the number of calls they received on their 24-hour support line.
They recognized the barriers that come from COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures. Survivors who are isolating with others or with their abuser may have a lack of privacy and security, making it difficult to access support over the phone. The chat and text service hopes to bridge this gap and make receiving support more accessible through a quick, discreet platform.
Survivors who are isolating with others or with their abuser may have a lack of privacy and security, making it difficult to access support over the phone. The chat and text service hopes to bridge this gap and make receiving support more accessible through a quick, discreet platform.
“We're hoping that through this chat and text, more survivors are able to come through or feel comfortable coming through . . . we know that because we're having to isolate and stay home either with our family, our friends or with our roommates, privacy is really hard to have at home,” explained Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, director of SACHA.
The webchat and text support service can be accessed by anyone 16 years or older and of all genders who has experienced sexualized violence at any time in their life, along with people who support survivors of sexual violence, such as friends, family, professionals and other allies. It is free, anonymous and confidential.
Trained volunteers will take a survivor-centered approach to provide support through non-judgemental listening, insight into questions about sexual violence and information potential options and community resources.
“[The service] is there to provide support, through a listening ear from trained volunteers or staff members from SACHA, as well as validation, applause, belief . . . because we know lots of survivors and their experience with disclosing sexual assault . . . Unfortunately [survivors are] not believed, so when you call SACHA, you know that you will be believed 100 per cent for your experience,” said Bonilla-Damptey.
"Unfortunately [survivors are] not believed, so when you call SACHA, you know that you will be believed 100 per cent for your experience,”
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, director of SACHA
The platform also uses end-to-end encryption so that there will be no record of the conversations. Users of the chat and text service should remember to delete their text messages or erase their laptop history.
Alongside crisis support, SACHA also offers trauma-informed, survivor-centric counselling sessions and public education. Additionally, their diverse communities outreach program offers specific programming for Hamilton’s diverse communities, such as folks who are Black, Indigenous, Queer, Trans or People of Colour.
Bonilla-Damptey also emphasized the importance of McMaster students to know that although SACHA is not officially involved with the campus community as they were before, they are still available for support.
“You're not alone. You don't just have to access services on campus; you're available to come to SACHA as well and we can offer options of other services that you may be able to connect with, so we're here for everybody,” said Bonilla-Damptey.
The webchat and text support service is offered on Mondays and Thursdays from 4 pm-midnight, Friday 8 am-noon and Sunday 4-8 pm Eastern Standard Time. The service can be accessed through the online webchat by clicking the purple chat box on the bottom right hand corner of the page or by texting (289) 207‑7790.
cw: References to sexual assault
If you were near Hamilton City Hall at around 6 p.m. on Sept. 19, you would have heard throngs of people yelling “revolution!”. If you had taken a closer look, you would have seen Danielle Boissoneau, the coordinator for Take Back The Night, standing behind a microphone on a makeshift stage and prompting each shout from the crowd with an exuberant “joyful!”
Together, they formed a chorus — a call honouring this year’s Take Back The Night theme: Joyful Revolution Always.
Take Back The Night is an annual event organized in Hamilton by the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton), a non-profit organization that supports survivors of sexual assault. Traditionally, Take Back The Night has been an opportunity for women and gender non-conforming folks in the community to speak out against sexual violence and to advocate on behalf of survivors. It has also celebrated with music, performances, art and tables for local organizations that support women and non-binary folks.
The first instance of Take Back The Night in Hamilton dates back to 1981. This year marks the event’s 38th year in the city and its first year in recent history without a march.
The Take Back The Night march began as a symbolic protest to the violence that women experienced when walking alone at night. Since then, it has grown into a method of raising awareness of all forms of violence in the community as well as a way to show support for survivors.
On Sept. 12, however, SACHA released a statement on their blog to announce that they decided not to march this time. The organization cited safety as a main concern, though the matter swiftly became a discussion of not only safety, but also about relationships with the Hamilton city police.
“On Sept. 4, 2019, the Take Back the Night (TBTN)Committee hosted a ‘TBTN Community Townhall on Safety’ — we wanted to hear right from the community what safety looks like for them … What was interesting was that no one mentioned the police as a place of safety,” wrote a representative from SACHA in their official statement.
The situation snowballed into a series of meetings. In consideration of the feedback and turnout from previous Take Back The Night events, SACHA attended a meeting with Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann, intending to ask for four street lanes to be closed instead of the one lane that Take Back The Night attendees used in previous marches. They were surprised to find out they were not allowed to follow the usual route used in previous Take Back The Night events.
In an effort to reach a compromise, an alternate route for the march was proposed. However, this second option required the inclusion of five paid duty officers, an unexpected fee that SACHA was unable to pay. In a prior Take Back The Night event, the city had provided SACHA with funding for three officers. There had been no such offer this year.
“We took it upon ourselves to revisit the table with the city and the police. We tried to work out an agreement … and then the agreement started to fall into bad faith negotiations, because they started trying to sneak in things at the last minute that were not acceptable,” said Boissoneau.
In the end, SACHA decided it was best to cancel the march.
Lisa Colbert of the Woman Abuse Working Group said she had not been sure at first about SACHA’s decision. As she prepared her organization’s table for the event, she admitted that the march was something she enjoyed. However, although the energy might feel different this time, she recognized that to march despite the predicament with the police would be to do the opposite of empowering those who were marching.
Similarly, Kat Williams of the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre said that a successful partnership with the police and all public servants would not be possible while those in power continued not to listen.
“In order to serve the people who are in the margins, the people who are suffering — those are the people we need to elevate. It’s especially important for the police industry to listen to those people, and I don’t think that has happened at many gatherings recently,” she added, taking care to emphasize that her views do not necessarily represent that of her organization.
In the same regard, Gachi Issa of the McMaster Womanists expressed support for SACHA’s decision. Taking into account Canada’s history with the police, she believed SACHA did the right thing by prioritizing the needs of the most marginalized communities.
With this in mind, Issa said that the presence of the police was always something that should be contested.
“The police had never been safe for the most marginalized communities and have been created and set up in a way to marginalize us further and to kill us. My hesitation is to always critique the involvement of police and police presence,” Issa said.
For Boissoneau, the change in this year’s Take Back The Night event was a reminder for community members to hold institutions accountable. Institutions like the police and SACHA, she said, must focus on their responsibilities to the people.
When asked whether she believed the cancellation of the march had a profound effect on Take Back The Night this year, Boissoneau stated that it had. She admitted the people were disappointed about not having a march — but this disappointment, at the same time, was causing them to re-evaluate how they defined reclamation.
“A lot of people are like, we must march to be able to be powerful. I don’t necessarily think that that’s true. I think that people have the ability to reclaim their autonomy … There’s so many different ways to do it. Marching is only one of those ways,” said Boissoneau.
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, SACHA’s director, did not agree that there was a palpable difference. She acknowledged that the march had always been a big component of Take Back The Night but that despite its absence, joy was the dominant feeling in this year’s event.
“I am seeing lots of folks — folks from everywhere, all different nationalities, all different walks of life, all different languages. Everyone is smiling, everybody’s participating. Everybody’s around the tables, looking at what kind of resources are available in our community and everybody’s celebrating … I see joy and I hear joy around me,” she explained.
For Bonilla-Damptey, the priority was to embody this year’s theme of joyful revolution. The importance was in the community coming together to celebrate each other and show support for survivors, regardless of the role that the police played in the event-planning process and regardless of what might have been different this year.
Issa felt that the same sentiment was applicable to the idea of community care.
“We are safe because of each other. Not because of police or because of security. We make each other safe. In order to get to a revolution, we have to be able to sustain each other and to find joy within each other,” she said.
On Sept. 19, there were no buses waiting to accommodate people who could not march alongside the assemblage and, as the sun set over Hamilton City hall, there was no crowd following SACHA’s usual route.
There was, however, music and spoken word. There were tables that belonged to groups that supported women-identifying and non-binary folks. There were t-shirts and there were signs that said We Believe You and Empower Others.
Despite the aftermath of SACHA’s nuanced relationship with the police, Bonilla-Damptey stressed that one facet left unchanged in this year’s Take Back The Night was its ability to facilitate connections within the community.
Attendees lined up for food. They took buttons and pens as they stopped at each table to speak to the person running it. They gathered to hear the story of Lucy, an elderly survivor for whom the crowd chanted, “We believe Lucy!”
People tend to believe, according to Boissoneau, that revolution began at an individual level. She argued, however, that when individuals get together and collectively reclaim their space, as hundreds of people did on Take Back The Night — that was revolution.
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By: Emile Shen
On Sept. 28, the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton Area) held Hamilton’s 36th annual Take Back The Night. It was also the first time that the McMaster Womanists tabled at the event, a group that seeks to give survivors a chance to not only reclaim their right to safety, but also collectively heal in a march around downtown Hamilton.
The McMaster Womanists was established in 2014 by Kayonne Christy and Kermeisha Williams to specifically address the issues affecting black women both on and off the university campus. The group’s advocacy is rooted in intersectional principles and black womanism, which prioritizes the experiences of black women to inform advocacy methods.
Gachi Issa, the co-president of McMaster Womanists, spoke on behalf of the group’s activism especially in relation to Take Back The Night.
“Take Back the Night is a great space for mobilization and it’s a great space in which people can gather and talk about gender oppression,” said Issa.
“But we’re also going to carve space for people to talk about racism, to talk about transphobia because a lot of these movements are centered around whiteness, but also a very specific view on femininity and women,” she added.
https://www.facebook.com/MacWomanists/
She noted that feminist spaces have traditionally been predominantly white in their demographic, and trans-exclusionary in their views.
“Even the narrative of Take Back the Night, like, ‘women are subject to serious sexual assault’. People of colour and black women are disproportionately affected by sexual assault — it is a fact,” said Issa.
The status quo of this movement causes the many material issues of other marginalized groups to be ignored. For instance, being a woman who is a visible minority is an additional risk factor for gender-based violence.
“It’s identifying that there are intersections and you can’t just be one thing. You are many things. You can be black and a woman. You could also be a Muslim and facing many different oppressions,” she said.
As such, the official tabling at Take Back The Night by the McMaster Womanists this year practices what the group preaches: both grassroots activism and providing a safe or more comfortable and inclusive space for black women, non-binary folks and other women of colour.
“Every year I go, it’s been adding elements,” said Issa.
Still, it is activists that are demanding that movements expand to include the narratives of people of colour, specifically black women and non-binary individuals.
Outside of special events like Take Back The Night and the Women’s March that immediately followed Donald Trump’s inauguration in February, Issa stresses that a willingness to learn, to come out and talk at events, and to use the resources available online are invaluable.
“Some people don’t understand racism because they’re not affected by it, which is okay but the fact that we are being affected by racism and oppression, but then also have to explain that is a lot. So again, Google is free,” she said.
As Take Back the Night continues to grow every year, groups like McMaster Womanists hope to see more consideration for other marginalized groups.
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For over 40 years, the Sexual Assault Centre for Hamilton Area has been working diligently to support survivors and to end sexual violence.
Through services including a 24-hour support line, individual or group counselling and advocacy program, public prevention education, and a Diverse Communities Outreach program that offers supportive programming for Hamilton’s diverse racial and cultural communities, SACHA aims to “challenge the social and political structures that contribute to the violence, oppression, and exploitation of all people”.
“It’s really important that we have independent, community-based, sexual assault centres where people can go that are not part of the criminal system,” said Lenore Lukasik-Foss, director of SACHA. “We can offer support, listen, our services are free, and that’s really important because we know survivors don’t tell anybody. We want to be there so that they can talk to us. Its not just the counselling work that we do but the prevention work is really important if we’re ever going to prevent sexual violence,” she said.
In Feb., the Globe and Mail released the results of a 20-month long investigation, titled “Unfounded”, which detailed how police in Canada address sexual assault allegations. The report found that one in five sexual assault allegations throughout Canada are dismissed as baseless by local police departments, with a national average of about 19 per cent.
According to the report, upwards of one in three sexual assault allegations in Hamilton are deemed as baseless by the Hamilton Police Department, leaving the city with an unfounded sexual assault rate of nearly 30 per cent over the past five years.
The instance of a false accusation of sexual assault is rare, however. Only two to eight per cent of all reported sexual assaults in Canada are false reports, leaving all other cases that are deemed unfounded as void to local law enforcements.
With these statistics coming to light, it can be difficult for survivors to share their stories with law enforcement officials. This makes it a critical time for local support centres, such as SACHA, to continue to provide free support services to survivors.
SACHA receives limited funding from local and provincial government sectors in addition to donations from local businesses and supporters. But the majority of the funding they receive comes through fundraising events, such as their annual Chocolate Fest, which took place in its 13th year on March 2.
“We need the help from our community supporters to ensure we are able to continue to provide our free services and programs to help survivors,” said Annie Horton, events and fundraising coordinator at SACHA. “The money raise from fundraisers goes to keeping us afloat – generally, whatever aspect of the organization needs the funding most will see it first.”
Fundraising also serves as an important method to raise awareness and recognition within the community. The promotion of a fundraising event enables community members to make connections to the organization and for the organization’s overall message to be widely circulated, which Horton notes as an important aspect in SACHA’s active efforts to prevent sexual violence.
“Without fundraising events and involving our community, our programs wouldn’t be as recognized as they are and continue to be,” said Horton. “It’s so important to involve our community in the work we do. Hamilton is an incredibly supportive and active community, especially now with what has been happening in the media. It’s great to see the city come together in solidarity.”
SACHA hosts informative and necessary events throughout the year that provide necessary education and awareness needed in challenging the existing barriers for people of all genders. From Take Back the Night, Hamilton’s Feminist Zine Fair, to Chocolate Fest, each event promotes awareness and community within the city of Hamilton.
While still largely an underground phenomenon, zines have recently exploded into the main-stream, with artists like Kanye West and Frank Ocean dabbling in the self-publishing, DIY practice. The fact that celebrities are now making “zines” does take away from the combative DIY ethos that has surrounded zines since their inception.
Originally intended as a means of publication outside of the realm of traditionally stodgy publishing companies, zines have been responsible for the dissemination of marginalized voices speaking about their unique experiences as well as challenging widespread oppression.
Such voices will be able to be heard in abundance at the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair organized by the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton Area) at the Hamilton Central Public Library on Nov. 5. While the event itself is free, an array of creatives from Hamilton and the surrounding area will be selling their wares at tables set up around the library, so make sure to save up.
Here are some of the zines we’re most looking forward to seeing this year.
From The Roots
From The Roots is a zine “dedicated to documenting stories, poetry, articles, testimonies and images of women of colour in Canada.” The publication seeks to maintain a happy balance with the oftentimes kitschy cut-and-paste traditions of zines of the past, while aspiring to be the voice of a quasi punk/literary journal.
Georgia Webber
Georgia Webber is a Hamiltonian comic artist and writer who has an array of experience working in writing, editing, and design. Her comic series DUMB arose out of her making the best out of a poor situation. After a doctor told her that the chronic pain in her vocal chords would not subside unless drastic measures were taken, Webber took to an extreme form of treatment: total vocal rest. In DUMB, Webber bravely and humorously expounds upon the struggle that her journey since October 2012 has led her through. While she has worked towards being able to speak up to three hours per day, Webber has created a definitive voice of her own that leaps off the pages of her comics.
Amy Egerdeen
Credit has to be shown where credit is due. As co-founder of the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair, Egerdeen deserves plenty of it. Egerdeen is a skilled artist in her own right, with her illustrations capturing the eye with their evocative playfulness, but her work within the community as an arts-based facilitator deserves hearty commendation.
From The Margins
As the artistic collaboration between Geoff and Clementine Morrigan, From The Margins concerns itself with topics as wide-ranging as “queerness, femme identity, sexuality, intimacy, community, addiction, sobriety, intoxication culture, trauma, madness, accessibility and hope.” On his part, Geoff writes about mixed race and genderqueer identity, while Clementine takes up surviving child abuse and intimate partner violence.
Heidi Cho
A skilled interdisciplinary artist whose works in several mediums (silkscreening, animation, mosaic, drawing, and writing), Heidi Cho essentially just makes cool stuff. From t-shirts and more run of the mill zines, to totes, you can bet that Cho will have something for you, whether that is related to self-care, navigating depression, and intersectionality.
By: Vania Pagniello
Good, not-so-ol’fashioned DIY feminism, friends and fun at the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair this Saturday.
On Nov. 11, Hamilton will be celebrating its third annual Feminist Zine Fair. With double the amount of artists who sold their work in the first year, the event is now being hosted on the fourth floor of the Hamilton Public Library from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in order to accommodate the increasing number participants.
The free-of-charge event is hosted by the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton Area), an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault and gender-based violence. SACHA’s intention for the event is to create a safe space for marginalized voices to be heard and to deepen individuals’ understandings of feminisms through discussion and art.
A zine is a self-published miniature magazine. Topics of zines range from political narratives to fan fiction to illustrations. They typically sell for between $2 and $5.
In the case of the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair, the connecting theme underlying all zine topics is feminism. Promisingly, there will be a variety of topics mirroring the diversity of human experiences and expression.
Zinesters are deeply embedded within the workings of this event. They will be seated behind the tables that showcase their zines and sometimes other purchasable items like stickers, pins, t-shirts, and treats too.
As necessary as the transaction of money is for the artists, they are not just vendors. Many welcome discussions keeping in mind the ultimate objective of the fair: the exchanging of ideas.
An enjoyable experience is easy here. Along with the selling of items and opportunity for discussion, there will also be a “four-hour zine challenge”; a themed zine made during the day that anyone at the fair can contribute to. The theme of the assembled zine this year focuses on supportive messages to survivors of sexual assault. At they end of the day, it will be distributed, displaying everyone’s unique contributions of content.
Although there will be plenty of zines to browse and buy for a small fee, SACHA’s main intention for the fair is to create a space for marginalized people to tell their own stories.
Amy Egerdeen, SACHA volunteer and HFZF coordinator, speaks to this intention.
“We put out a call for people who make zines and do their own kinds of publications who are definitely coming from feminist angle. I also had people that I contacted because we really wanted to prioritize trans* folks and people of colour. So we did some seeking out for people we thought would be a good fit… that’s kind of where we are coming from and what we want to make sure is a really big part of the zine fair.”
Also noteworthy is the way feminist politics and zine publications complement each other. DIY self-publication is a useful tool for activists to disseminate their ideas without having to censor them in order to get approval from a mainstream source.
“[Feminist zinesters] do a lot of work that is personal and that isn’t the traditional stuff that gets published. Its a great way for people to get their voices out there in a way that doesn’t have to be okayed by a big publisher or okayed by a mainstream magazine,” Egerdeen explained.
Ultimately, HFZF adds vibrancy to Hamilton through its DIY art activism.
“[The HFZF] is really growing in the community. We are just watching it become its own kind of thing! So that’s pretty exciting… there’s been a lot more zine activity happening in Hamilton since [it started]… I think it’s really cool what’s happening here,” said Egerdeen.
In its entirety, the HFZF is a marketplace for feminist literature and art. Naturally, its materialization is temporary, but the ideas shared here still transcend their brief presentation.
On Oct. 13, women and women-identified folk took to the streets of Hamilton in support of survivors of sexual assault and gender-based violence during the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area’s annual march, Take Back the Night.
The march aims to encourage women and women-identified folk to reclaim their right to safety. Due to the nature of the march, SACHA requested only women and women-identified folk take part in the march, and encouraged male allies to participate by congregating in Gore Park and cheering there.
The march began at Hamilton City Hall and looped around King Street. Women took over the streets for the night, marching, drumming, and dancing while carrying signs bearing slogans such as “stop the violence” and “break the silence”.
In order to maintain accessibility, SACHA also offered an HSR and DARTS bus for those who were not able to march, in an effort to keep the event accessible for as many people as possible.
Despite occurring during McMaster’s Reading Week, many students still attended to support SACHA, both as volunteers and as marchers.
“Every time I turned around to look at the people marching behind me I had an overwhelming view of so many amazing and inspiring signs and people and artwork, it was amazing,” said Monica Sadri-Gerrior, a second-year Biology and Psychology student.
“I can honestly say I was blown away by the energy folks brought to the walk, and how much solidarity I could feel from women, but also non-binary folks, and the male allies that came out to support us,” said Lainey Stirling, a fourth-year Health Sciences student and Coordinator of the Women and Gender Equity Network who attended the march.
While WGEN has no official affiliation with the march, the service consistently supports SACHA during the march.
“People ask me why we don’t have a [Take Back the Night] every year run by WGEN. I think what SACHA’s doing right now in Hamilton is an amazing way to bring students and the community together and they are doing an amazing job,” said Stirling.
“One of my favourite parts of the march was also seeing some of the men with signs cheering us from the sidewalks, it was really heartwarming,” said Sadri-Gerrior.
Stirling expressed the importance of male allies at events such as these.
“I think it’s important for male allies and allies to the campus sexual assault issue realize that folks in the march see you cheering on from the sides,” said Stirling. “Your role to be there for the women and non-binary folks in your communities, even if you’re not marching.”
While Take Back the Night is over, those who need support can access SACHA by visiting their headquarters at 75 MacNab St. South, or call their 24-hour support hotline at (905)-525-4162.
