bestlife Jessie Rodger, Anova’s executive director, speaks to audiences about ending genderbased violence. inset: Anova’s shelter on Wellington Road.
HOPE FOR A WORLD FREE OF FEAR By Ellen Ashton-Haiste
ANOVA SERVES WOMEN IN NEED A nova, in astronomical terms, can signal the death of a star. Anova, formed through the merger of London’s Women’s Community House with the Sexual Assault Centre London, has adopted the name as a metaphor to signal hope for the death of gender-based violence in society. “The idea is that we would like to not exist one day, that there will be no need for a woman to have to go into a shelter,” says executive director Jessie Rodger. “That’s our big pie-in-the-sky dream. It’s not likely going to happen in my lifetime, but I hope our actions and the work we do get us closer.” 50 Lifestyle July/August 2021
That work encompasses the services previously established by the merging organizations, plus some added enhancements. These include two shelters and Second Stage Housing (medium security) accommodation for women and children, as well as a 24-hour crisis and support line, counselling and community outreach. Anova also manages Mine 101, a thrift store in the Bellwood Plaza on Oxford Street East. It specializes in second-hand women’s clothing, accessories and jewellery, including premium brands, to help women look their best at a reasonable price. Rodger is seeing signs that lead her to believe that their work is
advancing their end goal. When she started with the organization in 2019, she found herself often explaining how the formerly separate entities were now under one umbrella while still providing the same services. “I find I have to do that less now, which I see as an indicator that people are starting to embrace who we are and the new identity that we have,” she says. It’s a message that she continues to communicate to community partners as well as in lobbying all levels of government. She is pleased with the results of those efforts, particularly at the municipal level. “The City of London is the first municipality in the country to have
