Tag Archives: Violence Against Women

The #1 cause of homelessness

“Scapegoating: the act of blaming a person or group for something bad that has happened or that someone else has done. Example: the scapegoating of immigrants for the country’s economic problems.” – Cambridge Dictionary

While it is easy to blame the unhoused population for their predicament, all of the recent ‘Point In Time’ (PIT) suggest they are indications of a much larger problem. 

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Sex Workers on Making Their Lives Better

By Brishti Basu, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Sex work is the most fulfilling job Rae has ever had. Colleagues and clients in Victoria were more welcoming than other professions had ever  been to a transgender and autistic woman like herself.

Her first professional job  after moving to Victoria seven years ago involved discrimination — she  was asked to wear a man’s shirt, for example — low paycheques and  mistreatment. 

“One day, I was just like, ‘Screw this I’m  running an ad,’” Rae said, deciding to explore sex work. The response  was immediate and positive.

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Unhoused displaced from DTES encampment due to City of Vancouver ‘safety concerns’

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With concerns for ‘fire, life and safety’ the City of Vancouver, with help from the Vancouver Police Department are conducting a sweep in an effort to close an illegal encampment where approximately 80 tent structures stand along Hastings Street in the city’s notorious Downtown Eastside.

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Greens Take Lead to Stop NDAs from Silencing Victims

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Susan MacRae wants to talk about what happened to her, but she can’t.  

As a young girl, MacRae  signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that prohibits her from discussing  sexual abuse she suffered, even with family members or therapists. 

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A New Approach to Homelessness: Housing First

As Currents recently reported, homelessness is not just “an American thing,” or “a big-city thing,” or even “a Vancouver Island thing.”  Homelessness is also here on Cortes, where a recent survey found that about 50 people rated their housing situation as “unstable,” and 11 were living rough (with no permanent shelter, in tents or other makeshift accommodation).

Although “housing” might sound like a single issue, it has has knock-on effects throughout our community.

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