Humans of Skills for Change: Ruth Mengistu
Authors: Fataneh Naghavi, Supervisor of Mental Health Services
Narges Khazraei, Counsellor, Women Connecting with Women Program
National day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Every year on December 6th, Canadians gather to remember and honour 14 women whom we lost to a tragic gender-based violence in 1989. They were University students pursuing education in science and engineering. Their lives were taken simply because they were women. “Their names were Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colga, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.” (2)
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has started, an increasing number of cases of domestic violence (4) including violence against women have been reported (3). In order to have a healthy society, all individuals need to feel safe, and women who have been at a higher risk of being impacted by violence (2) need to experience equity in a safe environment trusting that they would be recognized and appreciated for who they are as human beings and for their contributions to the society without any fear associated with being a woman.
One way of supporting women especially women who have been survivors of abuse is through providing free services including individual counselling and other mental health and empowerment services (e.g. psycho-educational workshops, support groups, mentoring).
Skills for Change supports women through a variety of programs and services including mental health/wellness support program. Women can flourish and thrive in their career and family lives when they feel safe, supported, and well.
Many of our clients are women who are working or preparing for employment, as they are taking care of their children. When women feel healthy and safe, their children, their family members, and other members of the community would be more likely to experience positive progress as well. Women who need support (e.g., mental health and confidential counselling), please contact us at: mentalhealth@skillsforchange.org
Learn more here: https://skillsforchange.org/mental-health-services.
Read about Narges, our mental health counsellor: https://skillsforchange.org/humans-of-skills-for-change-narges.
References:
- https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/commemoration/vaw-vff/remembrance-commemoration-en.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/news/2019/12/parliament-hill-to-commemorate-the-national-day-of-remembrance-and-action-on-violence-against-women.html
- https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/in-focus-gender-equality-in-covid-19-response/violence-against-women-during-covid-19
- https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00065-eng.htm
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