Jessica Bonilla-Damptey speaks at a news conference in July to declare intimate partner violence and gender-based violence an epidemic in the City of Hamilton.
Intimate partner violence almost declared an epidemic in Ontario
We don’t need any more studies. We don’t need any more research done. The reports already exist, as do the recommendations, writes Jessica Bonilla-Damptey.
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey speaks at a news conference in July to declare intimate partner violence and gender-based violence an epidemic in the City of Hamilton.
It was important to do so as the executive director of the Sexual Assault Centre — Hamilton and Area (SACHA), as the co-chair of the Woman Abuse Working Group (WAWG) and as an executive member of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) to be present for my organization and coalitions I belong to, for the survivors we support, for those we cannot support because they have been killed through femicide and the front-line service providers who do the work every day to support survivors and advocate for this epidemic to be declared.
At 10:44 a.m., an announcement was made on X (Twitter). “Breaking: The government has agreed to support an NDP motion to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. This gets a standing ovation in the house.” I was astonished. This was so unexpected. I tweeted as I suddenly felt relief, hope, validation and cautious optimism. I had tears streaming down my face.
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The Woman Abuse Working Group is the violence against women co-ordinating committee in Hamilton provincially mandated for all municipalities. It is a coalition of over 20 organizations members and observers that includes the Native Women’s Centre, shelters, the Sexual Assault Centre, Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Care Centre, women’s organizations and other community organizations and observing members.
At a news conference on July 7, the WAWG declared that intimate partner violence and gender-based violence is an epidemic in Hamilton and called on our municipally elected officials to do the same.
On Aug. 18, through a unanimous vote, the City of Hamilton declared that intimate partner violence (IPV) and gender-based violence (GBV), which includes sexual violence (SV), is indeed an epidemic in the city. Out of that declaration, there has been a one-time funding agreement between the city and the WAWG. The funding supports WAWG to continue to advance the work being done to provide education, resource materials and advocacy in the city. The funding agreement also enables WAWG to bring forth recommendations to council on how to address the issues of GBV, IPV and SV.
The Community Safety and Well-Being Plan is part of this work. As such, a representative from the city will join WAWG as an observer. This funding agreement and motion also allows for ongoing consultation between local subject matter experts and municipal officials. In addition, council, the mayor and staff continue to actively engage with the province to advocate for sustainable investments that meaningfully address gender-based violence and intimate-partner violence.
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I went to Queen’s Park on April 10 not knowing what to expect. We were scheduled for a 4 p.m. reception and then to witness the debate at 5 p.m. There were over 100 people present at the reception politicians, advocates, front-line service workers, survivors and surviving family members. The debate took about 45 minutes, the act passed second reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy. Once again, I had those tears of joy, trepidation and hope.
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So what’s next? Unfortunately, the official declaration wasn’t made on April 10 (it could have been). Instead, the government chose to send this matter before the committee on justice policy with orders for further review and to complete a fulsome study.
We don’t need any more studies. We don’t need any more research done to know how to address IPV and GBV or to even prove that IPV and GBV exist. The fact is that IPV and GBV are an epidemic in Ontario; 94 municipalities have declared that this epidemic is real in their cities. In these municipalities, advocates, front-line service workers and surviving family members know and have time and time again told us and shown us this is an epidemic. We don’t need more reports. The reports already exist, as do the recommendations.
We need immediate action. We must listen to those who are on the front line and we must listen to survivors. We need to reinstate that which was cancelled in 2019, like the Premier’s Roundtable on Violence Against Women. We need permanent and sustainable funding for all of the organizations that are voting members of WAWG. Local sexual assault centres like SACHA desperately need a funding increase. Fund Indigenous women’s centres, shelters, women’s centres, YWCAs and so on. Fund them directly, not grants available through other non-VAW/GBV institutions. Not project-based funding, not one-time or short-term funding.
We need sustainable funding increases. SACHA has not had a significant funding increase since 2015. Not a cost-of-living increase, not an increase that allows us to ensure that those who do the work are paid quickly and competitively, not an increase to address our six-month wait list for counselling services.
As such, we will continue the work. We will continue the advocacy toward an official law that says that intimate partner violence and gender-based violence is an epidemic in Ontario and that this law has teeth and comes with funding for our centres so survivors have access to timely supports and services that are free, trauma-informed, intersectional feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and survivor-centred.
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey is the executive director of SACHA – The Sexual Assault Center (Hamilton and Area).
