SUDBURY—A motion to declare intimate partner violence (IPV) and gender-based violence (GBV) as a public health epidemic has been initiated by the Public Health Sudbury and Districts Board of Health following a tragic incident in Alberta. The motion, emphasizing the severity of the issue, recommends declaring local statistics on GBV and IPV to prompt a state of emergency. The landmark motion follows Billings’ and Northeast Towns’ declarations of the same matter back in December.
The incident that spurred this motion unfolded when a man allegedly killed his wife at a school in Alberta. This grim occurrence underscores the pressing need to address the escalating cases of domestic violence across the country.
The motion, put forth to draw attention to the gravity of the situation, highlights the concerning rise in family violence. There have been 3,027 reported incidents resulting in 867 charges in Sudbury and Districts alone. Emergency rooms have seen 283 visits related to these incidents, leading health authorities to declare an epidemic and emphasize the urgent need for multi-sector action.
On January 18, the motion received unanimous support, resolving to endorse the declaration of intimate partner violence as an epidemic. The motion stresses the importance of lending a collective voice to this critical issue, acknowledging the pressing need for intervention.
During discussions, concerns were raised regarding the trajectory of these incidents. A key question posed was whether the steady increase in intimate partner violence is linked to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While it was noted that the impact of the pandemic might be a contributing factor across Canada, the alarming rise in cases persists despite this, indicating a more profound and more pervasive issue.
The vote on the motion witnessed unanimous support, with none opposed. The carried motion underscores the collective commitment to addressing and combatting intimate partner violence and gender-based violence as a public health crisis, calling for immediate and comprehensive action to protect vulnerable individuals and families.
