Post by WAVAW Staff, Rebecca Tucker

It has been incredibly hard for me to sum up why I love the work that I do for WAVAW’s Victim Services Program, as I have loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, as a female-identified person, rape culture has been prevalent and apparent in my everyday life. I have always been outraged by these injustices. The final straw for me was at a memorial for the Montreal Massacre two years ago. I sat in disbelief at how, in over twenty years, our attitudes towards violence against women have barely changed. I couldn’t take it anymore. My desire to create safe spaces led me to WAVAW.

My work at WAVAW, both as a volunteer, and later, as staff, has allowed me to channel that outrage into productivity. I have met incredible, like-minded women who I have been able to work with to create change in our rape culture. We live in a society where women are continuously disbelieved, and constantly challenged to prove that they weren’t “asking for it” when it comes to violence they have experienced. I believe, stand by, and support women, and it is so, so important to me that they know they are believed and supported after experiencing such trauma.

WAVAW has given me the opportunity to do work that empowers me, and allows me to support women who have experienced trauma. My life has intersected with the lives of other amazing women, each of us coming together to eradicate rape culture, and support other women.

To sum it up, my work at WAVAW has really helped me find meaning, validation, and direction in my life. My heart is so big when I do this work.