Chilliwack – On May 16, many came together from across the province for an important event, “Women’s Equity and a Link to Femicides in BC”. This event was held in partnership with Ann Davis Society and the University of the Fraser Valley as part of Victims Week and sponsored by the province. May 14th – 20th is “Victims and Survivors of Crime Week” in BC.
The event included powerful speakers such as Kelli Paddon, MLA Chilliwack-Kent, and Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity; Gail Jones, IRSSS, BC Program Manager for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG); Amy Fitzgerald, Executive Director for BC Society of Transition Houses; and Dr. Amanda McCormick, Associate Professor and Researcher with the University of the Fraser Valley.
The key messages delivered yesterday were:
- The alarming increase of 37% in domestic violence last year in BC.
- The chilling increase of femicides as reported by media and tracked by the National Observatory on Femicides going from 12 in 2021 to 29 in 2022 in BC last year.
- The lack of Federal Government funding for Transition Houses and Women and Children’s Shelters across the country.
- That the need for these support services continues to rise, making operations difficult for these non-profit organizations due to the lack of funding.
The BC Society of Transition Houses reported during this event that between November 30th and December 1st, 2022, 1,847 women, children and youth were served by a Transition Society in BC. Devastatingly, 571 were turned away because of lack of capacity. Currently, 632 children and youth await to receive vital counselling services through the PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling and Empowerment) program. Meaning that these 632 children and youth who have experienced or witnessed violence in British Columbia, are unable to receive the immediate support they are asking for.
Executive Director of Ann Davis Transition Society, Patti MacAhonic, recalls one of the most memorable facts that was presented during the event, “This event was eye opening for many. Though we work in the sector, the chilling numbers are still harrowing to share and hear. I was especially moved to learn the haunting statistic that, for every 1 NHL player that obtains a brain injury while playing hockey each year, there are 5,500 women who obtain a brain injury from intimate partner violence.”
The event was well attended with participants that included municipal and regional governments, school trustees, crown counsel, Fraser Health, MCFD, Abbotsford Police, Mission and Chilliwack RCMP, Corrections and Victims Services government and advocates.
