Connection, reflection, and skill-building:
The development of a participant-led methodology for addressing intimate partner violence in Northeastern Ontario at the Building Opportunities for Women Program
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Overview
This presentation highlights the Building Opportunities for Women (BOW) Program, a 12-week, remotely facilitated support group for self-identified women (16+) in Sudbury & District who have experienced or are at risk of intimate partner violence. Developed in response to gaps in post-shelter services, BOW focuses on connection, reflection , and skill-building. Participants explore the roots of gendered violence, build self-esteem, and identify education and training needs. Grounded in an iterative evaluation process, the program has evolved based on the lived experiences and insights of women in the region. This participant-led approach centers women’s agency while acknowledging the broader systemic issues contributing to IPV. By the end of the presentation, attendees will better understand how BOW was developed, how ongoing evaluation has shaped its methodology , and why community-based, participant-driven programs are critical in addressing intimate partner violence in rural and remote contexts.
Speakers
Jen Johnson
Jen Johnson (PhD York, MSt . Oxon) is a Program Evaluator of the Building Opportunities for Women Program (BOW). With 22 years postsecondary teaching and research experience, Jen contributes pedagogical support as well as critical evaluation of the BOW program. Jen is formerly associate professor and chair of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ( Thorneloe University at Laurentian). She is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies (School of Liberal Arts) at Laurentian University. Her research and teaching interests include feminist geographical approaches to the study of social reproduction, gender, race and racism and structural violence in the context of workplaces, and feminist pedagogies.
