In the wake of the neverending senate expenses scandals, and in the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, we have seen and doubtless will continue to see, examinations of the cost of Canada's parliamentary democracy. This is, of course, as it should be. As citizens, we should be attentive to what the costs of our parliamentary democracy are. Are they reasonable and justified? Are they effective? Do they serve discernible and useful purposes?

From April 15 to 21, Prevention of Violence Against Women Week, guest blogger Joanna Chiu and guest videographer Camila Galdino, produce a series on resisting media representations as a way to prevent violence against girls and women.

Like many students who were sexually assaulted in college, I didn't identify what had happened to me as sexual assault until after I graduated. That moment of realization happened when I was sitting at a lecture hall back at my alma mater, the University of British Columbia. I had just returned to Vancouver from New York City, where I had completed a magazine internship and observed the curiosities and arrogance in the world's media capital firsthand.