Ottawa, 14 May 2020
Women’s Shelters Canada is outraged that women’s lives and the issue of violence against women continue to be minimized. The result is multiple systemic failures. As evident from the Nova Scotia shooter’s former neighbour’s interview, women aren’t believed even when they literally could have helped prevent Canada’s largest mass murder.
Over the last decade, there have been multiple calls for change and inquiries, yet no meaningful action.
Advocates and service providers work tirelessly to keep women and their children safe and to end violence against women. Our sector is stretched to the limit. But this is not just our battle. As a society, we need to recognize, name, and address the issue head on: misogyny. Systems that are meant to protect Canadians, the police systems and the legal systems to name two, continue to fail women year after year, day after day.
How many more lives must we lose to the pandemic of violence against women? In 34 days this year, at least 9 women and girls were killed in domestic homicides. That’s double the usual rate.
Violence against women is a non-partisan issue. Everyone benefits when this violence is reduced. This is why Women’s Shelters Canada continues to call for a robust and well-resourced National Action Plan on Violence Against Women that will address these systemic failures across Canada’s multiple jurisdictions.
It is only when we properly address violence against women that we actually are all in this together.
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For media enquiries, contact:
Kaitlin Bardswich, Communications and Development Manager
kbardswich@endvaw.ca
Women’s Shelters Canada brings together 14 provincial and territorial shelter organizations. We work as a unified voice to collaborate, educate, and innovate for systemic change that ends violence against women, making Canada a model for safety in the world. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can find your nearest women’s shelter and its crisis line on www.sheltersafe.ca.
