Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region oversees two women’s shelters, Haven House in Cambridge and Anselma House in Kitchener, that provide emergency housing for abused women and their children. The organization combats domestic violence in the region through efforts outside of these shelters. For example, they run an outreach program where they present about healthy relationships at area schools.
One of Women’s Crisis Services’ most recent efforts to combat and educate about domestic violence in the region is through their new podcast, She is Your Neighbour.
“[She is Your Neighbour] is an educational resource and podcast to help dispel some of the myths around domestic violence and talk about what exactly it is,” Jenna Mayne, communications and fund development manager at Women’s Crisis Services, said.
The podcast explores the realities and complexities of domestic violence through a range of guests and topics. It aims to change the narrative around domestic violence and dispel the stigma and shame surrounding the topic.
“You might see, in different articles or online, images of kind of bruised women and it’s kind of in the shadows and we really wanted to put a face to domestic violence and a name to [domestic violence], and talk to our local community members of all sorts of different backgrounds and show that there are so many different experiences of domestic violence,” Maynes said.
The podcast also highlights the intersectionality of domestic violence.
“A big part of the project is recognizing that domestic violence happens to different people in different neighbourhoods,” Maynes said. “We’re really looking for diverse stories, and this year we have a special focus on Indigenous individuals, people of colour, and members of the 2SLGBTQ community.”
In February, She is Your Neighbour is launching a podcast club where the group will discuss each month’s episode and members will be able to ask questions. The podcast club will meet monthly and can be joined by emailing sheisyourneighbour@wcswr.org.
Those who want to get involved with or donate to Women’s Crisis Services can find more information on the organization’s website.
“Community support has been really outstanding during the pandemic. The community has really come together to support women and kids experiencing domestic violence,” Maynes said.