Dawson community helpers show that you are loved. World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th.

Connection, Education, DWS Events, Helping A Friend, Taking ActionDawson Women's ShelterSeptember 9, 2020world suicide prevention day, wspd, suicide prevention, support

#WeNeedYouHere

Getting ready for World Suicide Prevention Day, this Thursday, we're shining a spotlight on some incredible suicide prevention campaigns.

Connection, DWS Events, Education, Helping A Friend, Supporting Survivors, Taking ActionDawson Women's ShelterSeptember 8, 2020world suicide prevention day, suicide prevention, support, we matter, we need you here

What Does Two Spirit Mean?

“Two-Spirit is a contemporary English term to reflect gender diversity that Indigenous nations have always had. As Indigenous people, we’ve always had gender diversity and sexual diversity in our Nations before colonization existed on Turtle Island (North America). With the imposition of colonization, Christianity, residential schools and ‘the Sixties Scoop,’ a lot of those teachings of gender diversity have been lost and a lot of people are searching for their identity as Two-Spirit people and the roles and responsibilities that come with that.” - James Makokis

EducationDawson Women's ShelterJune 30, 2020pride month, indigenous history month, lgbqt, two spirit, queer, indigenous

Bears and Other Useful SVPM Links

Sexual Violence Prevention Month wrapped up last week, but that doesn’t end our commitment to creating communities based on consent.

There’s so much incredible info being created about supporting survivors, preventing sexual violence, and practicing healthy consent. To end of Sexual Violence Prevention Month, we’ve created a post with all the videos and resources that didn’t fit in other posts.

Education, Consent, Supporting Survivors, Taking Action, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterJune 8, 2020SVPM, resources, sexual violence, prevention

Pride Month Podcasts

While it’s surely just the tip of the wonderful opalescent-rhinestone’d-rainbow ‘berg, here is a selection of podcasts from the perspective of LGBTQIA2S+ (read: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Two Spirit, and more) folk.

Connection, EducationDawson Women's ShelterJune 3, 2020LGBT, LGBQT, lgbqt2sai+, two spirit, pride, queer

A Year Later - We Remember, We Fight for justice

A year ago today the national inquiry report into missing and murdered First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people was released.

Education, Taking Action, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterJune 3, 2020mmiw, mmiwg, missing and murdered indigenous women, national inquiry

DWS in Solidarity with Folks Fighting Racism

DWS stands in solidarity with folks fighting racism across Turtle Island (North America). Working to end racism is part of DWS’ work because of the high rates of gendered violence Black people experience.

Education, Taking Action, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterJune 2, 2020blm, black lives matter, dawson city, racist, racism, anti-racist, anti-racism

We Got This Dawson City - Posters and T Shirts Available

Free We Got This posters and buttons are now available for pick up at the Dawson City Post Office. T shirts are available on DWS’ threadless store.

Connection, EducationDawson Women's ShelterJune 1, 2020we got this, covid, pandemic, covid-19

Neurobiology of Sexual Assault

Professor of psychology Dr. Rebecca Campbell, created this fantastic presentation about the neurobiology of trauma.

Education, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterMay 28, 2020svpm, sexual assault, sexual violence, rebecca campbell, neurobiology, trauma

Why We Still Have to Talk About Clothes...

There is absolutely no evidence that clothes cause sexual assault.

Education, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterMay 27, 2020clothes, rape, myths, sexual violence, sexual assault, sexual violence prevention month, SVPM, slutwalk

Alcohol and Consent

We dream of a world where folks can ask for what they want without fear of being shamed or needing alcohol as courage or an excuse. We know that alcohol is the most common weapon used in sexual assault and that folks shame and blame survivors for drinking.

Education, ConsentDawson Women's ShelterMay 26, 2020alcohol, consent, sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual violence prevention month, prevention, taking action

From Awareness to Action

We need everyone to take action to create the massive culture change needed to move from a rape culture to a consent culture. Thing is, we don’t need to overthink the actions needed. It can be small everyday shifts that can bring about change.

Education, Consent, Taking Action, Understanding Violence, Helping A FriendDawson Women's ShelterMay 25, 2020svpm, sexual violence prevention month, sexual violence, sexual assault, prevention, action, awareness

Men Taking Action

Men can play a huge role in ending gender-based violence. Men are part of a solution; That means being prepared to interrupt, stand up to, and prevent violence in the spaces we work, live, hang out, and study in.

Education, Taking ActionDawson Women's ShelterMay 22, 2020sexual violence, prevention, take action, male allies, men, sexual violence prevention month

Survivors Speak

It’s a misconception that in order to heal you M U S T tell every detail of the abuse. The pressure of changing rape culture should not fall onto survivors of sexual violence. Creating a world based on consent is all of our jobs.

Education, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterMay 20, 2020support survivors, sexual violence prevention month, svpm, listen, survivor stories

Sexual Violence & COVID-19

Sexual violence is still occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, sexual violence is often made possible by situations of increased isolation and social marginalization.

Education, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterMay 15, 2020covid, covid-19, svpm, support survivors, sexual assault, sexual violence

What is Consent?

Thanks to fabulous work of survivors, community activists, and educators, our cultural understanding of consent has exploded in growth in the last decade. There is always more to learn though!

Education, Consent, Understanding ViolenceDawson Women's ShelterMay 1, 2020consent, svpm, may, sexual violence prevention month

No One Asks for It

This Friday, May 1, wear purple and let folks know why: No one asks to be sexually assaulted.

No matter how sexy someone is dressed. Not if they’ve had a drink. Not if they’re drunk. Not if they’ve had sex before. Not if they invited someone into their house or room. Not if they accepted a ride. Not if they’re on a date. No one ever asks to be sexually assaulted.

Consent, Education, DWS Events, Services, Taking ActionDawson Women's ShelterApril 29, 2020sexual assault, sexual harassment, no one asks for it, wear purple, sexual violence prevention month, may, SVPM, sexual violence, support survivors, believe survivors

Tax Help

Struggling with completing your taxes? Have tax related questions?

Service Canada Whitehorse has a Community Volunteer Income Tax (CVIT) Program where community volunteers individuals with simple tax situations in filing their tax returns for free.

Drop In, Education, ServicesDawson Women's ShelterApril 20, 2020tax, taxes, cra, service canada, canadian revenue agency, volunteer

Community Announcement: COVID-19 and Keeping Safe at Dawson Women’s Shelter

In response to ongoing updates and information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and directives from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), DWS will be suspending all non-emergency services including drop-in laundry and showers, in-person programming, and prevention education workshops until further notice.