Thank you to everyone who attended the screening of Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age on March 8, 2023.
If you missed the event or would like to rewatch the documentary, you may rent a copy from the UFV library.
Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor
Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age
Film screening, Q&A, and reception
March 8, 2023 from 4-7 pm — Abbotsford campus
The documentary directed by Léa Clermont-Dion and Guylaine Maroist explores technology-facilitated gender-based violence, shedding light on the various forms of backlash and online misogyny women commonly experience for simply existing.
After the screening, join a short Q&A with Sundeep Hans, UFV Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Dr. Allyson Jule, Dean of UFV Faculty of Education, Community, and Human Development.
A reception with light refreshments will follow immediately after the closing remarks.
Former Vermont State Representative, Kiah Morris — Courtesy: La Ruelle Films
Content warning
This documentary includes images, footage, and conversations on topics that viewers might find distressing, including harassment, stalking, sexual violence, death threats, bullying, hate speech, and suicide. Counsellors will be available on site throughout the event should attendees become distressed by the content.
Guests under 17 years of age — parent/guardian presence is strongly recommended.
If you or someone you know is experiencing cyberviolence or you would like to learn more about the issue, you can find resources on the documentary’s official website.
Event details
Date & time
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
| 3:45 pm | Registration and doors open |
| 4 pm | Screening | 80-min film followed by moderated discussion |
| 6 pm | Reception |
Location
Room B101 (building B)
Abbotsford campus
Registration
This event is free and open to everyone, but seating is limited — RSVP early to secure your spot.
Watch the trailer
Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age follows the lives of four women and one man who have been victims of cyberviolence, revealing the impact on their daily lives, their loss of security and confidence, and their refusal to be silenced. While exposing the unrelenting and systematic discrimination against women, the documentary is also a strong call for change.
Learn more about Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age and cyberviolence on the documentary's official website.
Meet your post-screening Q&A hosts
Sundeep Hans
Facilitator
Sundeep Hans (she/her) is the inaugural Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of the Fraser Valley, leading the institutional EDI and human rights portfolio.
As a second-generation settler born in Toronto and raised in Brampton, one of Canada’s most diverse cities, she understands the critical importance of intercultural understanding and cross-cultural communication. She has honed these skills for the past 15 years, driving change across complex systems and corporate, including healthcare, education, and non-profit sectors.
She holds a Master’s degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Allyson Jule
Facilitator
Dr. Allyson Jule has been an educator for over 35 years, teaching English in high schools and colleges in Alberta, Ontario, and BC and at universities in the UK and Canada. Her PhD in Education (2002) is from the University of Roehampton in London, UK. She is the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Community, and Human Development at the University of the Fraser Valley.
In 2008 she established and then co-directed the Gender Studies Institute and Gender Studies Minor program at Trinity Western University where she created safe spaces and engaged dialogue concerning gender and sexuality. Her efforts were recognized in 2012 by the Canadian Association for the Study of Women in Education’s Award.
She was awarded the 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 2016 and was named #14 on the list of the top 100 Influential Women in Education from the Last 10 Years, the only Canadian on the list.
Audrey Ackah
Emcee
Audrey Ackah is General Counsel for the University of the Fraser Valley. As principal legal officer for the University, Ackah provides strategic legal counsel and advice to the UFV board of governors, president, and senior management on a wide range of legal matters. In her previous role as Legal Counsel and Privacy Officer at the BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA), Ackah provided legal and policy advice to public school boards, school district senior staff, association staff, committees, and the BCSTA board of directors.
She has experience in a variety of areas of law including education, human rights, administrative, contract, labour, information, and privacy law. Prior to her work with the BCSTA, she practised law with the Law Society of British Columbia’s professional conduct department and the law firm of Harris & Company.
She received her law degree from the University of Toronto and her Master of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in the same discipline from the University of BC.
Learn more about International Women's Day
Did you know this initiative began in the United States in 1909? The United Nations officially recognized International's Women Day in 1977. This day is now observed worldwide to recognize women's achievements and acknowledge the challenges they continue to face in the quest for gender equality.
Visit the International Women's Day website to learn more about #EmbraceEquity, the worldwide theme for IWD 2023.