Women'space: Volume 1 #4 Part 2

• The Ontario Women's Justice Network
  
• Cyber Support for Battered Women
• Disability Websites
• BOOKS
  
  Part One
  Part Three

The Ontario Women's Justice Network is a computer network, linking women's groups across Ontario, covering issues of importance to women. As the OWJN says "..technology is not supposed to be a substitute for political organizing. It is just an efficient tool for us to use to communicate directly and effectively, cutting down our isolation and giving us immediate access to the power of information." This will be a moderated network , where all members will receive the same postings from a single point, and to where all material for mailing will be sent to a central point. "Plain Language" has already been agreed as a criterion for posting to the list. All member groups will pay a fee to belong to the Network. The steering committee was deliberately kept small, only 8 women. Their work will be reviewed annually and all actions are kept transparent.

As a first step in setting up a computer linked network, the Ontario Women's Justice Network held 13 regional consultation meetings, attended by 262 women from 244 different women's groups or organizations. Funded by the Trillium Foundation, the meetings were set up regionally, with advance information packages being sent through Canada Post, with back-up from local members. A broad base of women attended the meetings, which the OWJN felt "ensured that the meetings, agendas, and issues were representative". Since then more women's groups have asked to participate in this Province wide network.

The Ontario Women's Justice Network was set up out of METRAC (Metro Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children) "to enable organizations working on justice and anti-violence issues to set up a computer network so that we could share information, strategies and success stories; communicate directly with each other around the Province, cheaply and immediately; and access current legal and political information." Their intention is to work as a social justice organization dealing with such things as anti-oppression work, economic and social justice issues, racism, heterosexism, poverty, ableism and other forms of oppression. They plan to enable the inclusion of women in rural areas, in the North, Aboriginal women and historically marginalized groups.

A training manual is underway. Volunteers are writing, cutting and pasting, and testing its "user friendliness".

The meetings

Issues of participation were raised at the meetings. Prior to this stage research was done on finding computers - including voice computers for blind or visually impaired women, - on keyboard set ups for languages which don't use the roman alphabet, and finding ways to make the computer network as accessible as possible for women.

The meetings reported back to the entire Network a wide range of issues and concerns. These were listed under 7 categories, the Justice System, Women's Health Issues, Anti Poverty, Service Issues, Information Sharing, Government Cuts (the longest list), and Network Structure. The Justice System topic highlights issues including Crown Attorneys and Judges need training, but won't participate; the need to track Judges rulings; the need to document the numbers of women being killed by male partners; the need for a feminist analysis to various reports/ proposals/legislation which must be accessible and understandable to all women. Under Service Issues points are raised about all groups in the province needing to respond in the same way to the subpoena of records; that many male batterer programs are not holding men accountable; that in rural areas women already have the impression that the number of shelters is reduced, so are not coming forward; and the issu! ! e of mandatory reporting of Wife Abuse. On Information and Sharing - specific issues and concerns there is interest in developing directories of women's services in all communities; information about the Prince Edward County Anti-Poverty kitchen/community garden and how effective it is; concern about the mainstreaming of women's services and government's plan to dismantle what is left of the women's movement; and mention of how sophisticated the Fathers' Rights organizations have become.

Participation

While being asked for their views at the meetings women's groups were also asked to start to gather together material for general distribution on the Network. "Please put aside information you would like to share and that we can put on the Network. Remember, just because you think it is a small project/piece of information, there are others out there who would benefit greatly from what you have to offer....Remember the Network will be as rich in information as you make it." Meanwhile links with other databases, such as the METRAC library annotated bibliography, are being actively pursued.

The Report

The report was primarily written for participants in the regional consultation process, but you can still get a copy. The cuts have unfortunately made it impossible to mail out a copy of the Report without you sending $5 to cover photocopying and postage. Send to OWJNet, 158 Spadina Rd., Toronto, Ontario M5R 2T8 Email: OWJN

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What happens when a battered woman goes to the library to look for information? With the increase in public access points to the Internet, an online search has become a real alternative. The information provided could offer advice about how to find a helping agency and, or leave an abusive relationship.

Searching for Information Online

An online search is an attractive possibility, for several reasons. All enquiries are anonymous. The site is passive information waiting for someone to log on. No-one knows who has been making enquiries. There is no self-imposed obligation, on the part of the person inquiring, to the person supplying the information. No answers to give, just material to read, consider, and possibly download. There is no commitment to act - at least not until ready to do so. There will be no long distance calls appearing in the next phone bill. From the perspective of those maintaining the site for battered women, the online information available can be kept up to date, and can point a woman to a helping agency when she is ready to take another step.

So we went looking for Internet sites about violence against women, particularly "domestic violence". There are some excellent feminist sites, but there's also dross. If you use a general search tool in your WWW browser to look for "violence women", you can find a domestic violence list which gives almost as much weight to so called "husband abuse" as to violence against women. Liz Kates has a useful article in which she gives the main arguments against this theory. Liz Kates explains that violence against women is about power and control, and defines 5 areas of abuse. She makes it absolutely clear "95% of victims of family violence are women"

Violence Against Women Sites

There are a wide range of sites about violence against women, from a single shelter giving information, to a national (US) 1-800 number, to a complete listing of telephone numbers to contact shelters in every US State.

In Canada, the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence (NCFV) of Health Canada is preparing to put up a Web site this year. The NCFV is a national resource centre for all Canadians seeking information and solutions on violence against children, women, and seniors. It distributes resource materials which are available by calling 1-800-267-1291 or by fax (613) 941-8930 (e.g. a listing of Canadian shelters). The NCFV offers services weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern standard time. There is voice-mail and all calls are answered the next working day. The NCFV's Web site will be linked to the Canadian Health Network sometime from April 1996 onwards.

Aliza Sherman has a large area of her Cybergrrls site given over to the extremely helpful Safety Net: Domestic Violence Resources. Included are statistics, the "Domestic Violence Handbook", Bibliographies, Domestic Violence Projects and Organizations. It's full of ideas and information

One of Aliza's links took us to a set of domestic violence training materials to help health care providers respond to the needs of battered women. Included are guidelines for responding to a woman in crisis, taking care of yourself while working with women on the edge of crisis and a handy little quiz. The site came out of the archives of a mailing list, and gives very helpful, practical information.

The Feminist Majority's Domestic Violence Information Center includes fundraising and an impressive array of facts and contact options. The page opens with 7 categories, including "What you need to Know" a set of fact sheets on domestic violence, "Hotline Information" offering a telephone number for every State and an overall 1-800 number "which will automatically transfer you to a rape crisis center nearest you" and can be used in a last resort if a domestic violence shelter cannot be found. There is also a long listing of domestic violence Internet sites with a 4 line description of each site.

The Family Violence Prevention Fund offers facts, and suggestions on what you can do about violence against women - from fundraising and organizing to listening respectfully to battered women. Their domestic violence quiz is heavily weighted to US statistics, but is fun to do, and gives you your score at the end. The answer to each multiple choice question is submitted with the click of a mouse button, and you are immediately given "correct" or "the correct answer is..", with a short paragraph of further information. The site is much more than the quiz., it gives personal stories, looks at domestic violence and men, gives healthcare response and global response. Canada comes up under gun control, and under the "Inter-American Convention for the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women". This 1993 convention has been signed by 14 of 34 countries, and apparently neither the US nor Canada are signatorie! ! s.

The Projects

There are several projects discussed on the Internet, including the Clothesline Project which is "Bearing witness to violence against women". The site gives a history from the beginning by the Cape Cod Women's Agenda hanging out a clothesline with 31 shirts designed by survivors of assault, rape and incest. As they say, "the line just kept growing". Clotheslines have been displayed at many events in many places.

The Silent Witness Project began in 1991 with the creation of 27 free standing life size red wooden figures "bearing the name of a woman who once lived, worked, had neighbours, friends, family, children - whose life ended violently at the hands of a husband, ex-husband, partner or acquaintance" Many more Silent Witnesses have been created in public places. A march is planned for 1997. At this web site you will find information about the project and how to organize a Silent Witness Project in your community.

Online Advice

If you're looking for ways to offer information right now, then these sites offer good ideas:

The South Asian Women's Association gives telephone numbers to contact 1-800-799-SAFE, or, for the hearing impaired TDD 1-800-787-3224, Their WWW site offers organizations' names and numbers in several US States and in Montreal and Vancouver.

The Community United Against Violence (CUAV) site has a section on Same Sex Domestic Violence which shows an immediate understanding of the situation: "If the one you love, or used to love, is using coercion, threats and physical violence to frighten you and control your actions...." The site defines abuse using such categories as physical, emotional, sexual, threats, isolation and others. This is followed by a section on "How to Protect Your Safety", and a list of similar organizations in 23 US States, with telephone numbers.

There's also Jean Cooper's work on the Metro Toronto Committee Against Wife Assault site. This site lists publications, issues, activities, meetings, and the range of work of the organization. There are links to further information including a site of online pamphlets outlining emergency procedures for assaulted women in 18 different languages from Chinese and Russian to Italian and Urdu. The English version starts "Go to Safety.." and continues "You and your children can ask for police protection, safety in a women's shelter, free counselling and legal aid.." The reader is informed to use 911 and what is of importance to say to the operator or police. See page 7 for more about Jean Cooper's work.

The Metro Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children is Toronto based, or you can go virtually to METRAC There's a set of links to Internet resources relating to violence against women and children, such as the Ontario Women's Justice Network, FIST - Feminists in Self Defence Training, Women and Violence in the Workplace, a Womenpage "Women and the Law in the United States", the University of Maryland's Women's Studies/Gender Issues site. METRAC works "to change the present high levels of violence, the acceptance of violence in our communities, the law and the way it is applied to cases of violence against women and children, the lack of services and supports for victims of violence, the way institutions deal with incidents of violence".

Future Developments

When a battered woman gets online at the library she will find Internet sites which tell her she is not alone. Statistics and stories will ring all too true for her. That may be comforting and somewhat empowering. With a few exceptions, online information seems to be more weighted towards supporters, helpers and workers. There are some vital telephone numbers, even 1-800 numbers, which can be of immediate help, but there's room for much more development.

What about the information you might get from a shelter? How to prepare to leave. What about the kids, do you leave them behind and go back for them when you're settled (No)? How high a priority is making sure rent/mortgage joint payments become separated? How helpful is a lawyer? What psychological stages would you expect to go through when leaving an abusive relationship? What sort of place is the shelter?

Do you know sites which would help an online battered women find information which is of direct help to her? If so, please let us know at Women'space and we'll try to put the information in our next issue.

Jo Sutton

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The Axis Disability Website is a WWW site which includes information about violence against people with disabilities. As soon as you enter the site you see the familiar "Disabled" white on blue streetsign, but the person in this wheelchair is holding a sign which says "Piss on Pity". We went to section 3 by scrolling down the page and found the section "Violence and Abuse Against People With Disabilities". These include Behaviour Modification and Aversive Therapies; Euthanasia; Wrongful Incarceration and Unfair Judicial Treatment. There are recommended readings included for each of the issues addressed.

The disAbility Information and Resources is an excellent site which has materials and documents, university, medical and legal categories of information. There are links to newsgroups and mailing lists, to disability organizations, and to newsletters and resources on disability. If you can't find what you're looking for there's a search engine. And you can enter your email address so that you will receive notification whenever the WWW site is updated.

Check out theDisabled Peoples' International Home Page. "The purpose of DPI is to promote the Human Rights of People with Disabilities through full participation, equalization of opportunity and development. DPI is a grassroots, cross-disability network with member organizations in over 110 countries, over half of which are in the developing world."

Here you will find conference listings as well as news and views from around the world on disability issues. There are international links to other disability webs and gopher sites, including the Disability Information & Resource Centre South Australia which has a well-organized set of links and information and the Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) Home Page which insists: Nothing About Us Without Us.

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For more information: call toll free in Canada 1-800-856-2207 or 416-661-9611; fax:(416) 661-5701. Or send Email

Listening To The Thunder:
Advocates Talk About
the Battered Women's Movement

Announcing: a new book from The Women's Research Centre. (The W.R.C. is a non-profit community-based group in Vancouver, B.C. Canada.)

Policy-makers, analysts of the efforts against wife assault, front-line workers, and activists will find Listening to the Thunder: Advocates Talk About the Battered Women's Movement a rich, informative, and thought-provoking collection of writings.

A landmark book, Listening to the Thunder brings together 22 grassroots activists who look at the battered women's movement in Canada today. Articles examine:

• A History Of The Movement
• The Current Crisis In Child Custody And Access
• Racism And Other Barriers In The Movement
• The Dangers In Mediation, Partnerships, And The Professionalization Of Women's Groups
• Tribal Justice Approaches
• Native Women Organizing On A Reserve
• Organizing In The North And In Rural Areas
• Lesbian Battering
• The Need To Re-Radicalize The Movement

"Listening to the Thunder offers a synthesis of 20 years of feminist theory and practice in the battered women's movement. On each page are women's ways of resistance, political ways of knowing, and feminist strategies to create the possibilities of freedom." Sandra Butler, author of Conspiracy of Silence.

Listening to the Thunder is $17.95 . Special discount rates for large orders and for women's groups and college bookstores. To order your copy , call, fax or write to: The Women's Research Centre, #101 - 2245 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6K 2E4 Phone (604) 734-0485 Fax (604) 734-0484

More information about the Women's Research Centre and their publications.

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Women'space Home
Part One April/May 1996
Part Three April/May 1996