Empowering Women
Our Vision for Hope and Change
Our Vision
Over the life cycle of the 3 year pilot project, we expect that Black Canadian and Newcomer Women will:
Recognize patterns and examine cultural norms
They will learn that their dignity and respect for self must take precedence over normalized ideals such as ‘if a man does not beat you, he does not love you’. They will learn that love and relationships do not have to be physically, emotionally, sexually or in any other manner abusive.
Be empowered to protect themselves and their children
They will learn how to impart to their children, regardless of gender, that violence and control is no way to solve conflict of any kind and will learn how to teach their children to use their voices to reject situations that have the potential to cause physical, emotional, or social harm to themselves or others.
Be more connected to community and mainstream violence-prevention support systems
Have access to culturally appropriate information and resources to address family violence. Including support and encouragement to seek counseling if required.
We expect that Social Service Providers in Ottawa will:
Research
Have additional qualitative race-based research and evidence on cultural norms, barriers and practices related to family violence in Black Canadian and Newcomer communities in Ottawa, which they can use to better serve these communities.
Recommendations
Have access to concrete recommendations from Black Canadian and Newcomer women on their violence-prevention needs, which can be used to address systemic barriers that prevent them from accessing services.
As the project unfolds, we will keep the community updated on key milestones, challenges, and opportunities as we work towards educating the Black Community in Ottawa and beyond that “Love Shouldn’t Hurt”.