Broadening the Circle

Broadening the Circle was initiated by Queer Yukon Society’s staff in January 2022 after concerns about the accessibility of services for women and gender-diverse People experiencing Gender-based Violence began to rise in communities across the Yukon. The scope of the research was to better understand and alleviate the factors that put women and gender-diverse people at risk of Gender-based Violence and investigate how the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic may amplify such risks. In conjunction with this vision, Broadening the Circle aims to expand the capacity and increase safety in services providers to ensure no further harm is caused to community members.

The recommendations presented in this report are based on lived and living experiences of Gender-based Violence in the Yukon from community members who participated in Broadening the Circle research project’s engagements. These recommendations are for immediate action and are addressed to territorial service providers. By holding the Yukon Government and other service providers accountable to the recommendations’ implementation, we aim to remain a priority in their actions. These recommendations are deemed urgent in order to mitigate further harm and fatalities related to Gender-based Violence experienced by women and gender-diverse people. It does not encompass a longer-term strategic plan. We hope these recommendations may inform further sovereign actions and decisions taken by Yukon First Nations’ Governments and First Nations service providers, according to their own interests and priorities concerning self-governance and self-determination.