Peyton Twardochleb

My master’s thesis project, Designing Safe Spaces: The Role of Housing Attributes in Preventing Gender-Based Violence Re-victimization in Northern Canada, was awarded the 2025 Canada Graduate Scholarships–Master’s (CGS M). This study investigates whether housing attributes mitigate or exacerbate the risk of gender-based violence re-victimization in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Key attributes of interest include safety and security features, proximity to services, security of tenure, access to privacy, available space, sense of community, surrounding environment, and cultural or religious suitability. Using semi-structured methods, I will interview 15 service providers from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut who are employed in areas related to services for victims and/or housing. The long term objective of this research is to inform evidence-based housing policy recommendations focused on the well-being of northern people who have experienced gender-based violence.