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‘The Invisible War’ set to screen at Douglas

Students host event
for the National Day
of Remembrance and
Action on Violence
Against Women

By Sophie Isbister,
Staff Writer

his Thursday,

December 6, at 2 p.m.
at the New Westminster
campus, the Douglas
College Women’s Centre
and Co-op Radio’s The F
Word will be presenting
a film screening in
conjunction with 21st
annual National Day
of Remembrance and
Action on Violence
Against Women. The
event will include a
moment of silence, a
screening of the film The
Invisible War, and a post-
screening discussion with
organizers from Women
Against Violence Against
Women and special
guests.

The event is one of
many that will be taking
place nationwide to
address violence against
women. These events
are held on December
6, the same date as the
1989 Montreal Massacre,
where 14 female
students were killed at
Ecole Polytechnique in
Montreal, Quebec in a
killing spree motivated
by sexism.

Shila Avissa, student
organizer of the Douglas
College event and staff
at the Women’s Centre,
told The Other Press that
it’s important to remind
students that violence
against women still exists
to this day.

“By remembering this
day and what happened

in Montreal, hopefully
we can be motivated to
do something in order
to help women who are
facing abuse,” Avissa
adds.

The Invisible War,
directed by Kirby
Dick, is an award-
winning investigative
documentary about
the epidemic of rape
within the United States
military. Katie Schofield,
who works with Co-op
Radio’s The F Word ,
told The Other Press a bit
about her motivations for
choosing the film: “I have
always had a personal
interest in raising
awareness about systemic
violence against women.”
Schofield also feels it’s
important to change
people’s preconceived
notions about how they
relate to systems of
power.

Schofield adds: “I
hope [the film] will show
people that the military
and I would say these
other systems too, are not
always there for us, and

 

Kori Cioca and Rob McDonald in The /nvisible War
Photo courtesy of Cinedigm/Docurama Films

sometimes aim to hurt us,
and need to be seriously
looked at and reformed
in a lot of ways.”

Both Avissa
and Schofield stress
the importance of
acknowledging those
who have been affected
by gender-based violence
and abuse through events
like this film screening.
Schofield states, “It is
hard to see past your
own experiences of life,
into the experiences
of others, to recognize
that many women are
suffering simply because
of their gender, and that
it’s just not acceptable.”

Avissa urges students
to attend the event,
which has a limited
seating capacity of 80,
is by donation, and
takes place in the lecture
theatre located by the
library, room 2203: “The
discussion should be
a great place to have
conversations about
the issue with fellow
students and members
of the community,” she

says in regards to the
post-screening informal
discussion.

Confirmed speakers
at the event include
Douglas College’s vice-
president Blaine Jensen,
who will welcome
attendees, Dawn Black,
current NDP MLA for
New Westminster and
former MP responsible
for giving the day federal
recognition, and Judy
Darcy, a candidate for the
NDP in New Westminster
in the 2013 provincial
election.

Schofield and Avissa
are optimistic about the
event and expect a lively
turnout and discussion:
“With the new Feminists
for Gender Equality
club, I think we will
hear more conversations
about feminism around
campus,” Avissa tells us.

Schofield adds,

“(The screening] will be
providing a much needed
venue to discuss and
raise awareness about
this issue.”