Summary
Lyse Cloutier presents Écho des
femmes , a feminist community intervention group that offers
services, educational activities, and collective action in the
areas of health, violence, poverty, etc. At the request of public
health authorities and the regional government body responsible
for health and social services, this group created a committee
of diverse partners with the mandate of improving women’s
safety. Écho des femmes accepted this request
as it was much in line with the group’s objectives and
respected the integrity of its own mission. “Strategies”
underlying the committee’s work are as follows: 1) adherence
to a united feminist-based approach before becoming involved
in activities; 2) ensuring feminist leadership; 3) considering
process to be equally as important as results; 4) evaluating
action according to criteria such as increased autonomy, building
men’s responsibility, etc.; 5) relying on appropriate
long-term funding; 6) having feminist
allies.
Results of this project include:
1) the redesign of a subway station to make it safer; 2)
an education campaign directed
toward men; 3) workshops (self-defence, self-esteem, safety
in the home, etc.; 4) an education campaign on “rape
drugs”; 5) ongoing training of committee members. In
closing, Lyse Cloutier asks why the committee did not succeed
in acting by, for, and with the women of the neighbourhood.
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