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An unprecedented exodus of women from the workforce is upon us and the pandemic is only partly to blame. The real culprit for this mass departure may come as a surprise: we can trace it back to the workplace policies and work cultures that we have long fostered. Luckily, it’s not too late to fix things.

On December 6, 1989, 14 young women were murdered at Polytechnique Montreal, one of Canada’s most tragic acts of violent misogyny.  Every December 6 onward, we commemorate the lives lost in this event and renew our collective commitment to fighting violence and misogyny.  Even after three decades, this fight is far from over in Canada.  It was only two years ago that a Toronto van drove into pedestrians in April 2018, killing 8 people and severely injuring many more, motivated by the accused’s hatred of women.

Violence against women is everywhere. In the workplace, we see it in certain jokes, “water cooler talk”, information and media we consume, and also directly. Many women face harassment or assault from a coworker or supervisor. For others, the abuse they experience at home carries -over into the workplace. This can happen in a variety of ways, including  harassing phone calls, uninvited visits, or threats. It can also be less obvious to others, such as difficulties the victim faces in attempting to cope or even cover up the abuse. Considering the fact that one in three  women have been affected by abuse,  it is very likely every one of us knows someone who has been abused. It’s possible a co-worker, employee or boss has or is experiencing some form of abuse and it’s imperative that everyone knows what to look out for and how to help.

“Why can’t they just leave?”

That’s the default response to a story about a victim enduring domestic violence.  Packing up bags and walking out the door towards a fresh new chapter of their lives is a pleasant image to evoke, but void of the harsh realities that victims actually face.  Many financial barriers unfortunately stand in their way and one of the largest and most daunting expenses can be housing.  Victims may find themselves going from a dual-income household to supporting small children on a single-income.  Alternatively, they might not have had meaningful employment in their previous household arrangement, always dependent on their abuser for finances, which makes their search for stable, suitable housing immediately challenging.  Without adequate funds for a security deposit, first and last month’s rent, or without any proof of income documents to show, how can victims swiftly leave their situation and thrive independently?

As the remaining golden and rust-toned foliage finally floats to the ground early November, this month also ushers in the beginning of Woman Abuse Prevention Month.  This month of awareness is particularly salient since domestic violence rates have intensified amid pandemic-driven quarantines and lockdowns.  We at Make It Our Business have strived to adapt our workplace support resources to our new socially-distanced circumstances, releasing a blog on warning signs of abuse that you can spot while working from home (blog: http://makeitourbusiness.ca/blog/new-warning-signs-spotting-abuse-canadi...).  Of course, questions about concrete steps your workplace can take to prevent abuse remain at large.

Thirty years ago, on December 14, 1990, the UN General Assembly made October 1 the International Day of Older Persons. The day was observed for the first time throughout the world on October 1, 1991. The 2020 observance will also promote the commencement of the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020-2030). The initiative will bring together UN experts, civil society, government and the health professions to discuss the five strategic objectives of the Global Strategy and Action plan on Ageing and Health while noting the progress and challenges in their realization. The global strategy is well integrated into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while ageing issues cut across the 17 goals, especially Goal 3 which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of all at all ages”.

Mid-September marks a full six months of quarantine in Ontario as workers who would typically work in an office continue to work from home. Some consequences of this new arrangement have certainly been welcome. With commutes eliminated, workers can sleep in later and enjoy the flexibility of running occasional errands around or near the home. The shift to working from home also enables workers to spend more time with their family and pets. Of course, this oversimplified portrayal of work-from-home life obscures the glaring fact that this comes to the detriment of women. Mid-September might mark six months of quarantine but late September also signifies Canada’s Gender Equality Week, a particularly opportune time to discuss how the pandemic exacerbates gender inequality.