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A Living History: The Story of Ontario’s VAW/GBV Movement
This Facebook Live was presented and recorded October 28, 2025
In this Facebook Live, Deborah Sinclair traces the evolution of the Violence Against Women (VAW) movement in Ontario over the past 50 years. Drawing on her research and the voices of 22 trail-blazing activists , she explores the triumphs and challenges that shaped the movement—and the question that continues to echo through time: Are we still a movement, or have we become a sector?
Facebook Live Recording
Related Resources
- Lessons Learned and Wisdom Gathered ( D. Sinclair, 2019 )
- How the Experiences of Early Activists Shaped the Violence Against Women Movement in Ontario (D. Sinclair 2025)
- Feminist Resistance GBC 1995 (The McGuire Report, 1995, George Brown College Toronto ON)
Presented by: Deborah Sinclair
Deborah Sinclair is a recognized leader in Canada’s movement to end gender-based violence. With decades of experience as a clinician, consultant, and advocate, she brings both compassion and clarity to some of society’s most complex issues. Deborah supports high-risk professionals and advocates across health, legal, and social service sectors, helping them navigate trauma and restore resilience.
A sought-after speaker and trainer, she has delivered keynotes and workshops on topics including intimate partner violence, coercive control, vicarious trauma, safety planning, burnout, and collective care. Deborah has served as an expert witness in numerous court cases and has advised shelters, police, legal clinics, and government bodies on policy and practice.
In 2019, she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, where her dissertation, A Living History , documented five decades of the Violence Against Women movement in Ontario through the voices of 22 remarkable activists. Deborah has also served 22 years as a founding member of Ontario’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee .
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