Gender-Based Violence and Peacebuilding: A Journey to see the Forest Through the Trees (Salt Spring Island, Sustainable Community Development, Gender Studies, ... Feminism, Healthy Relationships)

ABOUT Kevin Vowles

Kevin Vowles
Kevin Vowles is a healthy relationships/violence prevention program delivery specialist, and program creator. He has a combined fourteen years of experience as an educational practitioner working with youth, communities, and disenfranchised members of society around issues of social justic More...

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Description

Gender-Based Violence and Peacebuilding: The First Book in the Everything Salt Spring Book Series

About the book:

How do we see the forest through the trees?

Imagine growing up in a yard with a high fence all around, blocking out everything, but that which is contained within the confines of the yard. Imagine that there is only hard packed dirt and broken down toys and little to no expectations about fair play and respectful interactions. Imagine that you are smaller and physically weaker than those living with you. Imagine that you are bullied long enough to think it’s normal, okay, even expected. Soon another smaller and weaker person joins the group and they become the new target of the bullying.

Then something happens….

The fence is taken down and there are no longer physical boundaries to contain the group. The outside world is full of brilliant sights; expansive green grass lawns, elegant trees, and colourful flowers. It comes as a shock to those who have been trapped behind the fence, seeing the respect between people in the new place as well as caring and compassion. Those who are smaller and weaker are protected and included and though there are rules and written contracts about behavior, it seems unnecessary, when no one is fighting or rejecting the ideals of this peaceful community.

Kevin Vowles is taking down the fences that create a wall between peace and violence.

This book is a radical departure from a traditional look at the effects of gender-based violence and other important social issues.

Kevin has written a series of essays to capture notable events that have occurred over the last four years. In taking down the fence, Kevin hopes that everyone who reads this book will understand that empathy, compassion, education and love are needed for transformation to continue. Kevin will inspire you throughout this book to honor the lives of everyone within your community. This approach, in combination with articulation of the importance of emotional intelligence, allows the reader to build empathy and understanding for damaging, yet common social behaviours. While people still have to be accountable and responsible for their actions, the essence of this book is shedding light and understanding on preventing violence, through understanding that it is, primarily, a socially learned phenomenon.

The Art

Through his experience of working with a community based organization as a healthy relationships/violence prevention facilitator, and living on Salt Spring Island, Kevin was inspired to produce a series of art works, that reflects this journey of transformation. Kevin's first Art Exhibition on Violence and Peace-Building was created after studying the works of Niki de Saint Phaalle in Paris, in 2014.

The Book Series

The people of Salt Spring Island would like to share their wisdom and experience with the world. If you are interested in the book series and other products that are offered please visit our web site everythingsaltspring.ca. If you enjoy this book please leave a review as we welcome your feedback.

everythingsaltspring.ca

Showing the World how we Build Community - One Book at a Time