Kafa, which translates to “enough” in Arabic, was a community-driven research initiative (March 2024–March 2026) that set out to understand and address gender-based violence (GBV) within Canada’s Arab community. With Phase One now complete, KAFA has produced one of the first robust, community-rooted evidence bases on GBV in Canadian Arab communities.

HOW THE RESEARCH WAS DONE

KAFA used a mixed-methods, participatory approach led by Dr. Shorouk Elzayat, with Dr. Michaela Hynie (York University) as academic advisor. It combined a national survey of approximately 700 self-identifying Arab community members across Canada—administered with Ipsos in English, French, and Arabic—with eight in-depth interviews with service providers who support Arab and immigrant women experiencing violence. The survey used a trauma-informed, survivor-centric design with content warnings and opt-out options.

WHAT WE FOUND

GBV is widely recognized but often hidden. About 51% of respondents believe GBV is common in the community, and nearly half reported experiencing at least one form of GBV in their lifetime. Emotional and psychological abuse was the most commonly reported form, frequently alongside patterns of control, financial dependency, and social isolation.

Awareness does not equal trust. Even when survivors know services exist, many don’t trust or feel safe using them. Concerns about family reputation, cultural stigma, and fear of retaliation remain significant barriers, and 22% of respondents were unaware of any GBV support services. Service providers also pointed to misinformation about legal consequences, fear of losing custody of children, language barriers, and mistrust of institutions.

Community-rooted solutions work best. Survivors and providers consistently identified anonymous helplines, counselling, peer support, and survivor advocacy as more effective than purely institutional responses.

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

KAFA’s findings point to approaches that extend beyond crisis response—strengthening community education, building culturally responsive services, and rebuilding trust between communities and institutions. The full report sets out detailed recommendations to guide future policy, programming, and systems-level change.

This project was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

CONTACT US

For inquiries, contact info@canadianarabinstitute.org