Gender-based violence must be addressed after Red River sex assaults: advocate

WINNIPEG (CityNews) ─ After Winnipeg police issued a warning in connection with a string of targeted assaults on women in the city, one advocate says the root cause of gender-based violence needs to be addressed.

Andrea Gunraj of the Canadian Women’s Foundation says systemic sexism has to be dealt with in order to eliminate violence against women, trans and non-binary people.

This comes as Winnipeg police are investigating five incidents of women between the ages of 15 and 30 being attacked at various points along the Red River Trail system over a four-month period.

“Data shows repeatedly women feel unsafe in public spaces and these attacks represent the extreme side of a spectrum of sexual violence perpetrated against women,” said Gunraj.

“The concern really does fall into the greater category of gender-based violence, which we know in Canada is high.”

Gunraj says violence against women is part of a system that can exist on a smaller scale too.

“Cat calls, along with sexual harassment in the workplace and school setting, need to be addressed in order to change the way women are feeling unsafe in public in general,” she said.

“They are more unlikely to feel safe in their neighbourhood, maybe going and running errands, going to and from work, doing public activities. This is an issue in many places in Canada.”

In response to the string of attacks, Winnipeg police cautioned the public not to walk or run the trails alone, to run without headphones, and to tell someone else what route you are planning to take.

“You know the police’s goal isn’t to send everyone into panic, but it is to send a very strong cautionary message of safety,” said Const. Dani McKinnon

Gunraj says investment priorities need to change to address systemic racism at the core.

“Investing in community safety, it’s not just about policing, it’s not just about the legal system, it’s about changing the way our communities are so that they become safer on a whole community level,” she said.

Gunraj also added that while the duty should not be on women, trans, or non-binary people to protect themselves while running in public spaces, runners could consider selecting more populated routes and running during daytime hours.