No Means No
Youth to Youth, Learning the Laws, Challenging Violence
About "No Means No"
History of the Workshop
R v. Ewanchuk
Supporters
"No Means No" - Violence Against Women and Girls: Prevention through Legal Education
To request more information on No Means No or to book a workshop please fill out our information form.
To download and print our brochure please go here.
“No Means No” empowers youth to understand consent and sexual assault while affirming their legal right to say “no”. This program delves into myths and stereotypes about sex and sexuality and how those myths and stereotypes can lead to violence by exploring issues of bullying, homophobia, sexism and assumptions about gender roles. These workshops are based on R. v Ewanchuk, the legal case through which the Supreme Court of Canada defined consent. The exploration of this case has a powerful effect on youth because the victim was an adolescent girl who had the courage to defend her rights, and in so doing, created larger social change.
“No Means No” complements many of the provincially prescribed learning outcomes set in the Health and Career Education K to 7 (2006) and 8 and 9 (2005) curricula as well as the respective Performance Standards for Social Responsibility.
This program is designed for youth between the ages of 10-15 in grades 6 through 9 and is facilitated by youth between the ages of 18-24.
The program is delivered through a series of three one hour workshops. The cost for the program is $100. We recognize that there are groups and schools for which this minimum charge would not be feasible and we will make every effort to accommodate your school or organization.
History of the Workshop
At West Coast LEAF’s Achieving Equality In the New Millennium forum held in the fall of 1999, the Ewanchuk case sparked the interest of young women attending the conference. The idea emerged that this kind of legal case could be used as an entry point into educating youth about gender stereotypes and equality in the law. As a result, the “No Means No” program was born.
To date we have reached over 3000 youth around the province with our program. The program is currently active within Vancouver and Nelson.
► A recording of "No Means No" peer educators is available here.
The concept that “no” actually does mean no, that there is no such thing in the law as implied consent to sexual assault, is a very important legal principle in the battle against violence against women.
The “No Means No” program has its roots in R. v. Ewanchuk, a case involving the issues of consent and sexual assault. Steve Ewanchuk was a 47-year-old man charged with the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl during a job interview in his trailer. At both the trial and the Alberta Court of Appeal, Ewanchuk raised the defence of implied consent because the young woman did not scream, struggle or try to escape from his sexual advances, although she said no repeatedly. Ewanchuk was acquitted at trial and Justice John McClung upheld this decision.
Justice McClung commented on this woman’s clothing, her past sexual history, and her lifestyle. He passed judgement on her reaction to the assault while diminishing Mr. Ewanchuk’s behaviour as an expression of “romantic intentions…far less criminal than hormonal.” Although the Supreme Court of Canada eventually overturned the lower court’s ruling, the judge’s attack on this young woman’s character revealed an alarming level of gender bias within the justice system.
This case is not about consent since none was given. It is about the myths and stereotypes of femininity, masculinity and the normalisation of sexualised violence. This case highlights the problem of gender stereotypes that still prevail in the legal system which inevitably undermine equality rights and perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Supporters
