Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life says the United Nations.
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
"For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members. That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes," says the UN.
Today, NDP MPPs Lisa Gretzky, Kristyn Wong-Tam, Jill Andrew, and Peggy Sattler, co-sponsors of the NDP’s Bill 173, called for intimate partner violence (IPV) to be declared an epidemic.
“Our call has always been crystal clear – we need to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario, and we need to do it immediately. Every moment that we delay, more people are put at risk, and fewer resources are being allocated to help survivors escape or recover from violence."
Last year the North Bay Police Services Board unanimously resolved to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.
See: 'Intimate partner violence' declared an epidemic by police board
And: Group claims City Council not concerned about intimate partner violence
"Survivors, advocates, and frontline workers have made it clear. Experts have raised their voices. Nearly 100 municipalities have made the declaration. Other provinces are charging ahead to take action while we’re falling behind.
"It’s long past time for this government to join us in doing the right thing. On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, let’s make this declaration. Ontarians are counting on us.” say the MPPs.
See: Ontario to support opposition bill to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic
Bill 173 was tabled on March 7, 2024, and on April 10, hundreds of advocates and survivors of intimate partner violence joined the Ontario NDP at Queen’s Park to support the bill
Premier Ford supported the bill and passed it to second reading
"The bill has since been stalled. On the very first day of the Fall session, the Ontario NDP called for this declaration to be passed by a simple motion. The government voted it down," say the MPPs.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council said in a statement, "Over the last several decades, Indigenous women, leadership, organizations, and communities have been raising the alarm about the high levels of gender-based violence perpetrated against Indigenous women and girls, including intimate partner and family violence. Indigenous women, together with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leadership and international human rights bodies, have continued to call for immediate action from all levels of government to improve Indigenous women’s safety."
Violence against women and girls remains largely unreported but includes:
It can manifest in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
- intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
- sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
- human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation); See: Human Trafficking is real and happening here in North Bay
- female genital mutilation; and
- child marriage.
