Research guides: National Day of Remembrance: 2025

About this resource list

In 1991, the Parliament of Canada established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. December 6 marks the anniversary of the 1989 murders of 14 young students at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. Each student was targeted and killed because she was female.

This list represents a sampling of scholarly, creative, and activist resources related to violence against women and gender-based violence.

Please note: Some of the resources in this guide may contain discussions or scenes of sexual and physical violence or representations of trauma which may be painful for some readers/viewers – please exercise care.

Access Help

Vancouver Island Crisis Society (with 24/7 access to crisis help)
The society offers supportive confidential 24 hour crisis phone line , texting, and chat line from 6-10pm. On the website find resources about suicide, crisis services, & workshops.
Victoria Sexual Assault Centre
Organization in Victoria for women, trans and gender variant people. Find information on how to get support, contact information for help and online resources.
Camosun College Sexual Violence Support and Education
Camosun’s website providing support and education to students and employees experiencing or witnessing sexual violence.
QMUNITY: BC’s Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit Resource Centre
Support provided for LGBTQ/2S individuals and communities. Website offers online resources and information on support and services for youth & adults.
Signal For Help Campaign
The social isolation measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic are making it more difficult for those who are at risk of abuse or violence to safely reach out for help. “Signal for Help” is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call. It can help a person silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way.

Family Violence

A Stronger Home by Katrina Chen and Elaine Su, illustrated by Delphie Côté-Lacroix, 2025
Call Number: PZ 7.1 C44 Str 2025

Interurban Children's Collection
Cruel but Not Unusual: Violence in Families in Canada by Ramona Alaggia & Cathy Vine, 2022
Call Number: HV 6626.23 C3 C79 2022
When Home Is Not Safe: Writings on Domestic Verbal, Emotional and Physical Abuse by Judith Skillman & Linera Lucas, 2021
Call Number: HV 6626 W477 2021

Stopping gender-based violence

The Cost of Fear: Why Most Safety Advice is Sexist and How We Can Stop Gender-based Violence by Meg Stone, 2025
Call Number: HV 6250.4 W65 S79228 2024
How Men Can Help: A Guide to Undoing Harm and Being a Better Ally by Sophie Gallagher, 2022
Call Number: HQ 1090.7 E85 G35 2022
Gender Violence: Resistance, Resilience, and Autonomy by Sylvia Jane Burrow, 2022
Call Number: HV 6250.4 W65 B869 2022

Memoirs/Biography

One Second at a Time: My Story of Pain and Reclamation by Diane Morrisseau as told to Elisabeth Brannigan, 2024
Call Number: HV 6626.23 C3 M67 2024
Black Box: The Memoir That Sparked Japan’s #MeToo Movement by Shiori Ito, translated by Allison Markin Powell, 2021
Call Number: E-book
Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls by Angela Sterritt, 2023
Call Number: PN 4913 S76 A3 2023
Toufah: The Woman who Inspired an African #MeToo Movement by Toufah Jallow with Kim Pittaway, 2022
Call Number: HQ 1817 Z75 J35 2022

Global contexts

Because They Were Women by Josée Boileau, 2020
Call Number: HV 6535 C33 M65 2020
"I hate feminists!": December 6, 1989, and its Aftermath by Mélissa Blais; translated by Phyllis Aronoff & Howard Scott, 2014
Call Number: HV 6535 C23 B5313 2014

Government of Canada Women and Gender Equality Canada
Website includes “16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence” providing activities for Canadians to reflect on – and take action against – violence against women and gender-based violence.

How to do ally work

Moose Hide Campaign
The Moose Hide Campaign is a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys who are standing up against violence towards women and children.
White Ribbon
White Ribbon wearers are men pledging to never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women and girls. Website also provides resources challenging negative, outdated concepts of manhood.
Ending Violence Association of BC – Be More Than a Bystander
A groundbreaking partnership that sees sports icons from the BC Lions using their public profile to create awareness and urge everyone to 'Break the Silence on Violence Against Women'.
Project Respect – YesMeansYes.com
A project from the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre. Project Respect was created by youths and adults for youth ages 12+. This website offers online learning tools, how to get help and information about their workshops.