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women, which means
it’s a judgement-free
zone, a place on campus
that offers support for
women, whatever they
happen to be going
through.

Rahiman tells me
that the Women’s
Centre isn’t about
counselling, but more
about peer support:
“We by no means tell
[women] what to do,
we try to help them
do what they think is
best for themselves.”
Rahimanfinds her role
as an advocate for
women on campus to be
a rewarding one, saying,
“Trying to voice what
they’re trying to say, I
think that helps them a
lot.”

Avissa adds, “Aside
from supporting
women who come in,
we talk to all genders
about the root causes
of oppression...I think
all of us have that
conversation every
day with all genders.
Every single day.” It’s
a hard battle to fight,
but we know the end
result that we need: a
culture where victims
will be supported
and taken care of by
their communities,

together.”

Peer support,
advocacy, and
awareness are the
bulk of the work that
Rahiman, Avissa, and
Davies engage in.
Awareness, according
to Davies, is something
that needs to be an
ongoing process: “We
need to do tabling
on campus, we need
to have the services
available, we need
to have Twitter and
Facebook and online
sources, we need to do
writing,” she says.

“1 think one thing
we are missing right
now is respect for one
another,” says Avissa.
“We cannot like a lot
of people. That’s fine,
but it doesn’t mean that
we can’t treat you like
a human being. That’s
what we’re losing in all
kinds of institutions.” In
regards to the continued
struggle against sexism,
racism, and homophobia
in Canada, Avissa tells
me, “The work is not
done. The work is not
even halfway done.”

That’s why it is
still so important
to have these safe
spaces and support for
marginalized groups,

 

victims of sexual abuse
or sexual assault do
have somebody. Where
they have a place they
can go, like a women’s
centre, where they
can find mentors and
resources; a place that
can hopefully mitigate
the kind of violence
that Amanda Todd
experienced at her
school.

Creating a tighter
community is the
key to fostering that
respect, college-wide
and country-wide
alike. Rahiman says it’s
as simple as a smile:
“There are too many

Thats whyitis stillsoimportant to have thesesafespaces
and support for marginalized groups, womeninparticular.

not ostracized and re-
victimized.

“A lot of women
come up to me with
issues that they’re not
comfortable bringing
forward in any practical
or official way through
the school,” says Davies
about her role with the
DSU and how she helps
women. “I can address
that issue on their
behalf as long as I’m
given their permission,
and that’s why it’s
really important that,
as a woman’s voice
on campus, we work
really hard and we work

women in particular. “1
think Amanda Todd’s
case is a really good
example of why there
needs to be a space you
can go to where you'll
be with like-minded,
educated women,” says
Davies. The support
needs to be there

for women, both on
campuses and in high
schools, where girls

are learning how to be
women.

One of Amanda
Todd’s flashcards says “1
have nobody.” Imagine
a Canada where girls
like Amanda, where

people just walking
right by each other. I
think that you’re not
going to build anything
[from that]. Don’t go
home. Spend that 10
minutes, explore your
campus. See what you
have here. Smile!”

The Women’s Centre is
located in room 2850 at
the New Westminster
campus and in room
A1301 at David Lam.
They’re open from

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday to Friday. They
can also be contacted via
Facebook and Twitter .

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