The Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee Windsor Essex is very pleased with local councils after Windsor, Essex, Lakeshore and even Toronto have all declared Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as an epidemic.
IPV is the use of behaviour to gain control and power over an intimate partner (i.e. a current or former spouse, dating, or sexual partner).
It may include a pattern of physical or sexual violence, criminal harassment, threats of physical or sexual violence, reproductive coercion, coercive control, spiritual abuse, cyber-violence, and/or emotional, financial, or psychological abuse.
In 2022, Windsor Police Service reported 2378 calls to police for IPV, which is 6.5 calls per day.
During that same period, Hiatus House, which provides domestic violence services for women, received 2357 crisis calls. Hiatus House, The Welcome Centre Shelter for Women & Families and Nisa Homes sheltered 1234 women and children, but due to capacity challenges, 53 women and children had to be turned away from Hiatus House.
In some cases, IPV culminates in femicide, which is broadly defined as the gender-based killing of women and girls.
Since October 2021, four women were killed by a current or former intimate partner in Windsor-Essex.
In June 2022, an inquest was held for the 2015 deaths of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam of Renfrew County, who were murdered by their former partner. Out of this inquest, the jury made 86 recommendations for change. The first jury recommendation was for the Government of Ontario to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.
The Ontario government declined to declare IPV an epidemic.
A decision which Amy Perione, Coordinator, Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee Windsor-Essex, calls flawed.
"There was a statement that it wouldn't be considered an epidemic because it's not infectious or a communicable disease, but I do think that with more and more municipalities and townships declaring, I'm hopeful that the province will reconsider their decision not to."
She says there's typically a shame and stigma that goes along with IPV.
"But the reality is that this recognition and declaration of intimate partner violence as an epidemic really helps to bring it out into the public realm, and it is going to help quash that shame and stigma, as well as the victim blaming that comes along with these experiences."
She says she hopes these declarations open the door to future partnerships and working relationships that help stimulate political action and responsibility.
"Things like needs in improvements related to funding for hospital beds, shelter space, transitional housing, shifts in our peace bond process and various other interventions and supports."
Anyone experiencing IPV or knows someone who needs help can reach out to local organizations such as Hiatus House for assistance.
Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
The VAWCCWE of Windsor-Essex works collaboratively with a network of organizations, groups, and individuals to end domestic violence through leadership, education and advocacy.