She Is Your Neighbour

Qwuy’um’aat works as a Senior Strategic Advisor at BC Housing. She is also the owner of Ever Plan Consulting and an Instructor at Vancouver Island University where she teaches Indigenous Lands Management and Indigenous Community Planning.  

In this episode, Qwuy’um’aat talks about the challenges that Indigenous women face, particularly in relation to gender-based violence and housing insecurity. She shares her personal experiences...

Amber is a Counsellor at Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services.  

In this episode, Amber talks about the various programs offered by Ganohkwasra, including safe shelter, counselling, and other supports for women, men, youth and children seeking safety from violence. She also talks about the work she does with  missing and murdered Indigenous women and families, and the role culture plays in Indigenous healing. 

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Destiny Bailey is the Program Coordinator at Abbey House – a transitional home for women with or without children who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or who are facing other trauma and crisis situations.

In this episode, Destiny shares her powerful journey as an Indigenous woman who has faced and overcome significant challenges, including domestic violence, human trafficking, addiction and incarceration. 

This episode is par...

Brandon Chadwick is the host of a popular podcast called, Narcissist Apocalypse.

Narcissist Apocalypse is a raw and unfiltered podcast that gives a voice to survivors of domestic abuse – it’s also an online community and peer support group. 

In this episode, we talk to Brandon about the evolution of Narcissist Apocalypse and the role that shame and stigma plays in survivors sharing their stories. We also talk about the power of pe...

Christine Taylor is the Program Manager at the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Centre out of St. Mary’s Hospital and Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Waterloo Region. 

In this episode of She Is Your Neighbour we talk to Christine about the dangers of strangulation and escalating physical abuse, how The Family Violence Project provides wrap around support for survivors of gender-based violence and how we can all support our...

Oluseun Olayinka is the Executive Director at Adventure4Change in Waterloo, Ontario.

In this episode, Oluseun explains how cultural norms can influence the way a person navigates an abusive relationship, as well as the role the couple’s family, friends, and faith community may have in determining how to move forward. We also talk about the work Adenture4Change does to eliminate barriers for new Canadians to help them thrive.

Christina Silva and Christy Phillips work at Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. Christina is the Outreach Supervisor and Christy is a Child and Youth Worker.

In this episode of She Is Your Neighbour we talked to Christina and Christy about the various ways that domestic violence impacts children and the importance of safety planning. We also talk about financial abuse and about how it can impact the entire family.  

Sara Casselman is the Executive Director at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region. 

In this episode, we talk to Sara about myths and misconceptions surrounding sexual violence, the intersection between domestic violence and human trafficking, and what Sexual Assault Support Centres can do to help community members who have experienced sexual violence.  

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Julie Lalonde is an author, public educator and a survivor of domestic violence. 

In the first episode of She Is Your Neighbour: Back to Basics, we talk to Julie about her personal experience with domestic violence and stalking, and how it led her to write her book, Resilience is Futile, the Life and Death and Life of Julie S Lalonde. Julie also spoke about bystander intervention strategies and the problem with glamorizing sufferin...

Stephanie Bryenton is a Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisor at the Region of Waterloo. A former child protection worker and Indigenous advocate, Stephanie now works to support Indigenous partners across the Region. She also runs a small business with her sister called Wiingashk Sisters to honour the legacy of their mother through beadwork. 

In this episode, we talk to Stephanie about her work as a child protec...

Ren Navarro is the founder of B. Diversity, a company that brings equity, diversity and inclusion to the craft beer industry and beyond. After seeing a lack of representation in the beer industry, Ren made it her mission to diversify the way that beer is perceived, highlighting there is no one type of person who drinks beer and changing marketing campaigns isn’t enough — policies need to reflect that too!

In this episode, we talk t...

Pamela Cross is a feminist lawyer, advocate and an expert on violence against women and the law. Pamela has been an expert witness on Inquests and Inquires across Canada to make recommendations to prevent future femicides from occurring.

In this episode, we talk to Pamela about the difference between an Inquest and Inquiry, the consequences of criminalizing coercive control and talk about what needs to change in the legal system.

J...

Amy Kaufman is a mom and advocate for survivors of domestic violence. During her marriage to a famous sports broadcaster, Amy experienced domestic violence which escalated during her pregnancy. Her experience also included a lengthy, public court battle for all to see and hear.

Following her experience, Amy has become an advocate for survivors, using her story and her network to support others.

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Iona is an equity, diversity and inclusion consultant and professor. After experiencing domestic violence in a past relationship, Iona recognized a gap in messaging and support around domestic violence in marginalized communities. In this episode, we talk to Iona about the unique struggles that are faced by marginalized communities who experience domestic violence, the importance of intersectionality in talking about complex social...

Growing up, Jude lived in an abusive household. As an adult, he works with men to hold them accountable when they use violence against their families and partners.

In this episode, Jude tells us about his story of domestic violence and shares his experience working with men through Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region’s Engaging Men program. He also explains the importance of early intervention strategies to prevent domestic ...

After a near-fatal altercation with her ex-boyfriend in 1997, Colette Martin spent many years trying to process her experience. In this episode of She Is Your Neighbour, Colette talks about the red flags leading up to the night of the attack, her experience healing from trauma and how she is using her story to inspire others to be better neighbours. 

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As a survivor of domestic violence, Sofia saw a need for more peer-support services in Waterloo Region to prevent domestic violence tragedies. In this episode, Sofia explains how her stay in Women’s Crisis Services’ emergency shelter led her to explore the support services available in the region. She shares how her personal experience with abuse inspired her to co-found VoicesWR, a peer-support group for survivors of intimate part...