Each year on December 6th, the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Southport, holds a Vigil at Coulter Parkette in Port Elgin to remember the 14 women students of École Polytechnique in Montreal, who were killed in a mass murder simply because they were women, and also to raise awareness of violence against women today.
On November 11th (2024), CFUW President Odette Bartnicki, made a presentation to Saugeen Shores Town Council, following a letter on November 4th (2024) that was sent to Mayor and Council.
In the letter, Bartnicki laid out the reasons for her delegation, and the fact that Councillor Cheryl Grace has brought a Notice of Motion to Council to declare that intimate partner violence (IPV) is now an epidemic.
“I am writing on behalf of CFUW Southport’s 110+ members regarding the motion before you requesting that you declare an epidemic of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) (often used interchangeably with Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Domestic Abuse (DA) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)). On November 27th, 2023, I stood before you to speak about our annual December 6th Vigil, which is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, now in its 34th year. I noted the growing number of Ontario municipalities, now over 100, that have enacted such declarations, including our neighbouring municipality, Kincardine. In January 2024, this Council endorsed Goderich’s declaration, but until now with the motion put forward by Councillor Cheryl Grace, the Town of Saugeen Shores has not considered its own declaration.”
She also pointed out that, on April 10th of this year, “… the Government of Ontario supported Bill 173, the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act, brought by MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam and Lisa Gretzky. However, the Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Justice for further study, and there it remains while the number of incidents of IPV and femicide continues to grow. Shelters are challenged to provide enough space and support. Children are exposed to devastating life-long impacts.”
Last year, on November 27th (2023), Batnicki spoke to Council saying that IPV was an ‘epidemic’, which was subsequently challenged by a Councillor. To clarify her statement (at that time), Bartnicki referred to the dictionary definition of the word ‘epidemic’ “…affecting, or tending to affect, a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community or region, excessively prevalent or characterized by widespread roles or extent.”
“Incidents of violence against women, (including) intimate partner violence, human trafficking and femicide, does meet that definition,” said Bartnicki. “One woman or girl in Canada is killed every 48 hours and over 50% of murders are classified as femicide by a former or present partner. There have been 52 femicides in Ontario in 44 weeks. The most recent was a mother of four in Ottawa killed in broad daylight.”
According to statistics raised by Bartnicki, rural areas are also 75 per cent more like to have IVP incidents than urban centres and, unfortunately, they also have have fewer resources to support victims.
There are only three shelters available in Bruce-Grey and four out of 10 in the shelters are children. In addition, 44 per cent of women have experienced IPV in some form after the age of 15 and Indigenous women are three times move likely to experience it.
Most incidents go unreported to police, who are required by law to report incidents of domestic or sexual violence, human trafficking and domestic homicide to a Federal data base.
Bartnicki pointed out that, “Between April, 2018 and March, 2024, Saugeen Shores Police reported 633 occurrences in three of the four categories but, thankfully, no femicides were reported. Therefore, we think that those numbers do meet the definition of ‘epidemic’.”
Saugeen Shores Police have provided specialized IPV response training to nine officers, which is not included in the two-year training in police college. The local police service has also been proactive in raising awareness of the issue, along with Grey Bruce Public Health.
Two weeks ago, more than 250 people gathered at Faith Lutheran Church in Port Elgin to attend the anti-human trafficking event demonstrating how the community cares. “We are aware that, in January of this year, you (Council) endorsed the declaration made by Goderich,” said Bartnicki, “and hope that you will join the over 100 other Ontario municipalities and vote to make the declaration that intimate partner violence is an epidemic, when the motion comes back to Council on November 25th.”
Bartnicki invited Council and community to attend the 34th annual Vigil that will be held on December 6th at Coulter Parkette in Port Elgin at noon to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action of Violence against Women. She also asked that the Town lower its flag to half-mast on that day to demonstrate that all forms of gender-based violence are not acceptable in Saugeen Shores, and that will send a message of hope to victims and their families.
“Our sincere thanks to Councillor Grace for bringing the Notice of Motion before you,” added Bartnicki.
Councillor John Divinski agreed that there is an epidemic and “… even one, is one too many.”
Bartnicki also pointed out that donations are accepted at the Vigil for the shelters and, upon visiting The Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey in Kincardine, the CFUW learned that there has been no government funding increase for the shelters in six years, and that all three shelters have been forced to turn people away and some of those are with children.
Councillor Rachel Stack explained that she had been a member of the Board at the Women’s House in Kincardine and had the opportunity to help a woman who was a victim of abuse. She said that, from personal observation experience, “The in-take at the shelter can be traumatic and unintentionally de-humanizing. There is an in-take bay where you sit with a representative and have all clothing and belongings removed to be washed to avoid any issues that can come with shared housing and that’s before you even enter the shelter. Victims stay in the shelter for six to eight weeks and then move on to second-stage housing, which can be very challenging. These may be women who are economically disadvantaged, who may never have worked or filed taxes, are victims of abuse, who are managing their children and are typically away from their families. Because of the affluence in our community, this issue can go un-noticed and these are shelters are always full, and when we talk about an epidemic, I will support that.”
Councillor Bud Halpin also said to the CFUW that “… as a brother who has four sisters and a father of three daughters thank you, thank you.”
Councillor Grace also pointed out that the Police Services and Chief have worked with CFUW to provide joint funding for promotional materials and educational publications. “I appreciate the leadership of not just the CFUW Southport and the team that is running this year’s Vigil but also the Police Services that provides a speaker, up-to-date statistics and monetary support. Also, from attending the anti-human trafficking event and hearing speaker Inspector Jeremy Mighton, I know that our Police do so much more to support victims.”
