Counter Attack
What does it take to have a voice? What sustains people on the long road from fear and silence to courage and action? For women whose voices are often suppressed, the journey is full of challenges. Ma…
Counter Attack
What does it take to have a voice? What sustains people on the long road from fear and silence to courage and action? For women whose voices are often suppressed, the journey is full of challenges. Many quit along the way. But in Ottawa, Ontario, two law students and two survivors have decided to take a stand and join the movement to end violence against women in Canada. The only trouble is, they don't know how to be activists. In their homes and on the streets, the smallest steps follows these women as they protest for equality in -40 degree Celsius weather, craft briefs to amend the Federal Divorce Act, and advocate for a National Action Plan to end violence against women. Amidst these efforts, they battle setbacks and exhaustion. But they also find strength and comradery. If they can overcome the personal and political barriers that threaten to derail them, they will join a long legacy of courageous women who refuse to be silenced. Interwoven through their journeys, veteran activists share their stories of struggle and success, providing important historical context to the anti-violence movement, and reflecting the entrenched and ongoing challenges faced by generations of Canadian women. Overall, the smallest steps is a story of how women find their voice, both as individuals and as a collective movement. Through an inter-generational glimpse of the courage and stamina required to be an anti-violence activist, this story teaches us that even the smallest steps to do what is right can lead to big change!
Counter Attack
Action
Film Details
What does it take to have a voice? What sustains people on the long road from fear and silence to courage and action? For women whose voices are often suppressed, the journey is full of challenges. Many quit along the way. But in Ottawa, Ontario, two law students and two survivors have decided to take a stand and join the movement to end violence against women in Canada.
The only trouble is, they don't know how to be activists. In their homes and on the streets, the smallest steps follows these women as they protest for equality in -40 degree Celsius weather, craft briefs to amend the Federal Divorce Act, and advocate for a National Action Plan to end violence against women. Amidst these efforts, they battle setbacks and exhaustion.
But they also find strength and comradery. If they can overcome the personal and political barriers that threaten to derail them, they will join a long legacy of courageous women who refuse to be silenced. Interwoven through their journeys, veteran activists share their stories of struggle and success, providing important historical context to the anti-violence movement, and reflecting the entrenched and ongoing challenges faced by generations of Canadian women.
Overall, the smallest steps is a story of how women find their voice, both as individuals and as a collective movement. Through an inter-generational glimpse of the courage and stamina required to be an anti-violence activist, this story teaches us that even the smallest steps to do what is right can lead to big change!.