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BC Housing Exits Blocked; Women's March Demands Safe Shelter, Housing, Services

by Sandra Cuffe

Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe
Community March Demands Safe Housing for Women. Vancouver, March 22, 2011. Photo: Sandra Cuffe

A vibrant march demanding 'No More Stolen Sisters: Safe Shelters, Safe Housing, Safe Services!' left the intersection of Main and Hastings earlier this afternoon. Organizers denounced the inaction of all levels of government in the face of male sexual violence against women in Downtown Eastside shelters.

"The silence and normalization of violence and sexual assault against women in this community is unacceptable. BC Housing and the City of Vancouver are responsible to ensure that safe services are equally available to women in this community," stated Alice Kendall, Coordinator of the Downtown Eastside Womens' Centre, in yesterday's press release.

The women's and Downtown Eastside community march took one side of the street and occupied several intersections along the way. While march participants formed a circle around Indigenous drummers at Main Street and Terminal Avenue, organizers informed those present that the nearby BC Housing office had locked its doors to prevent the entrance of women organizing a direct action.

The community march arrived at the BC Housing office building doors at 369 Terminal Avenue shortly thereafter. Women's demands to get a response were ignored by the few Vancouver police officers on either side of the glass.

Organizers also entered the parkade around the back of the building, effectively blocking the vehicle exit. As of 3pm, march and action participants declared their intentions to remain outside the doors as long as necessary.

Update: See article by Lauren Emily Oxford HERE.

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Comments

Fantastic!

So great to see this story - with photos!

Keep them coming girlfriend.

Take care down there - from Nelson/Slocan Valley & basically the Kootenay Region.

Tami Starlight  - VMC Femininja & Editorial Collective

THANK YOU for covering this!

I felt so bad for not being able to make it out to this one.

Great Photos and article Sandra!

Thank you!

Thanks & please check out other article!

Thanks all. I wish there were always strong metal trash cans placed in strategic places for climbing/photo opportunities. The text I included is really just meant as a sidenote to the photos; for a really solid piece on the issues and outcome, please check out and re-post Lauren's article!: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/vancouver-politics-and-service-provision/6707

:)

thanks for posting

your cool photos...Viva la resistencia!

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