Thank You.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Community Womxn's Initiative Conference 2021, and a special thank you to all the speakers who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences.
For those of you who weren't able to attend, we recorded the conference, and you can watch at your convenience below.
Our
Goal.
Our
Partners.
Our goal for this conference is to raise awareness of intimate partner violence and is therefore available to any and all interested individuals. Thanks to the support of Doctors of BC and #RisingYouth Community Service Grants, conference registration was by donation. Any and all donations go directly to supporting our community partners.
CWIC 2021.
This conference touched on approaches for supporting survivors of violence from the voices of healthcare providers, community programs and survivors.
Kamal Dhillon.
In our third session of the CWI Conference 2021 we were fortunate to hear from the voice of Kamal Dhillon as she told her own story as a survivor of intimate partner violence.
Kamal Dhillon is the author of Black and Blue Sari and a newly released book, I AM KAMAL, Survivor to Thriver! In her books she describes the harrowing details that unfolded – from the moment she married her husband at the age of 18 till his death 15 years later. Kamal is a domestic violence survivor and bravely shares her story with the world. Through her story, this inspirational speaker exposes her personal journey of living through a string of violence and torture throughout her 12-year marriage. Kamal’s stories are also about how she triumphantly broke free from her shackles. She is a positive example of how we do not have to be products of our circumstances. Kamal is the mother of four children and a grandmother of four grandchildren.
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What was meant to silence her has now become the source of her loud call to arms - a voice for change. She now inspires and motivates others and challenges them to break free from unacceptable domestic situations. Kamal shares her story across Canada and the US, on what it’s like to be a victim and a survivor of domestic violence just to keep the family’s pride intact. Kamal gives talks to the RCMP, Justice Institute for the new police recruits and providers of mental and medical health and to a number of First Nations communities. Kamal delivered the keynote address at The World Bank and The International Monitory Funds (IMF) in Washington DC on the 2013 International Women’s day. She has spoken at the BC Leadership Prayer Breakfast as well as with the Citizenship and Immigration Parliamentary Committee on abuse and at a conference organized by the Federal Justice Department on Honor-based violence and Honor-based killing Through her tireless efforts to highlight the plight of domestic violence victims, Bill S-7 on zero tolerance for barbaric practices was passed in 2015.
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To learn more about Kamal go to her website www.kamaldhillon.com. Here you can find information not only about her but also of her charity, Black and Blue Sari Charity Inc., and how you can get involved.
If you are interested in either of her books or to hear Kamal speak, links for these can be found on the homepage of her website.
Conference Agenda | March 6, 2021.
9 AM PST
"CWIC" Conversations
with healthcare providers
In this session, a physician with the Kelowna Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), social worker, nurse, and a midwife go over their role in supporting survivors of violence.
10 AM PST
"CWIC" Conversations
with community programs
In this session, hear community partners discuss the services they provide as well as highlight key populations and their diverse needs. This session will involve presentations from YWCA Metro Vancouver, WISH Drop-In Center and SVPRO.
11 AM PST
"CWIC" Conversation
with Kamal Dhillon
Listen to Kamal share her personal story around Intimate Partner Violence and how healthcare professionals can recognize the signs. Kamal is the author of "Black and Blue Sari" and "I am Kamal: Survivor to Thriver."