Western University walkout advocates against gender-based violence on campus
Western University students participated in a nationwide walkout advocating against gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses Monday.
The Safe Campus Coalition group had events organized beginning Monday afternoon with opening remarks at the university college hill, followed by a moment of silence led by the Faculty of Engineering’s Allison Preyde.
Students walked across campus to promote change and to raise awareness that this type of violence is still common at universities.
Students were also commemorating the 14 victims who were killed in the École Polytechnique massacre 32 years ago.
Students chose to honour the women who died with a moment of silence, followed by reading all of their names.
On Dec. 6, 1989, a man opened fire in a classroom, killing 14 women, many of whom were engineering students.
Danica Facca, a PhD student with the Safe Campus Coalition said, “It’s definitely going to take time but at the very least we’re hoping that something like this can generate a nationwide conversation.”
During opening remarks on Monday, some students shared that they had been touched by this issue and wanted others to know they’re not alone.
Ziyana Kotadia, the vice president of university affairs for Western's University Students' Council spoke before the walk.
“My own relationship with rape culture and experiences with sexual and gender-based violence are deeply personal as they are for many of us today," she said.
In September, students walked out over after numerous allegations of sexual assaults were reported at a first-year residence at Western.
“Following that walkout, we decided that more work needed to be done nationwide across different sectors,” said Effie Sapuridis, who is with the coalition.
In a statement, the university said that it is not immune to these issues and that it is committed to taking action to eliminate gender-based violence on campus.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.