The question that remains though is: Are these campus policies taking into account the experiences of all women who have faced violence on campus? According to the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC), marginalized groups such as Aboriginal women, women with disabilities, and transgender individuals are more likely to experience sexual and gender-based violence. In fact, studies have demonstrated that women with disabilities are three times as likely to experience unwanted sexual activity compared with the general population of women.

This is why the  (DAWN) Canada and the (NEADS) have decided to conduct research into the prevalence of violence on Canadian college and university campuses experienced by Deaf women and women with disabilities. According to DAWN and NEADS representatives, no other researchers have undertaken a study of this nature in Canada. In line with developing campus sexual violence policies, the study will also look at the level of support campuses provide to Deaf women and women with disabilities who are victims of violence. The goal of this research is to gain a better understanding these students’ experiences, and to ensure they are receiving the support they need from campus programs.

For more information about this study, please .

The Violence Against Women (VAW) hub is embracing the spring season with great excitement as we commence a new hub project with our community partner, the (DAWN).

Issues around women with disabilities have largely been ignored or siloed in Canadian research and policy initiatives on VAW. This project will develop tools to assist researchers in addressing this gap. The project will use Canadian academic research on VAW published since 2010 to assess whether, to what extent, and in what ways studies are using an intersectional lens that includes disability in their research related to violence against women. The project co-supervised by Bonnie Brayton and Laurie Alphonse from DAWN and will produce a report based on the data collected that will be used as a discussion tool by CFICE VAW hub partners to reflect on and further develop their understanding and use of an intersectional disability lens in their work against VAW. The project will also produce an intersectional lens guide to assist VAW researchers. The project report will be revised for publication and dissemination to VAW academics and researchers.

We are extremely pleased to collaborate on this project with DAWN and look forward to contributing to this important anti-VAW advocacy work and scholarship.