At its November Council meeting, Dufferin County Council declared gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic and called on the provincial and federal governments to provide the necessary supports to municipalities to meaningfully address it.

Warden Wade Mills and County Council proclaimed November 25, 2023 as International Day for the

Elimination of Violence Against Women in Dufferin County. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was designated in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly. The date of November 25 was chosen to commemorate the lives of the Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic who were violently assassinated in 1960. The day pays tribute to them and urges global recognition of gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence and intimate partner violence, often referred to as domestic violence, is any use of physical or sexual force, actual or threatened in an intimate relationship, including emotional and/or psychological abuse or harassing behaviour.

Dufferin County joins the growing number of municipalities and regions in demanding action from all levels of government to address this growing epidemic and recommends that gender-based violence and intimate partner violence be declared an epidemic in Ontario.

The County also requests that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and all municipalities and regions in Ontario declare gender-based violence and intimate partner violence an epidemic, and that the provincial and federal governments enact the additional 85 recommendations from the Culleton, Kuzyk, and Warmerdam Inquest, which provides a roadmap to preventing intimate partner violence from escalating to femicide.

The County’s full motion on the epidemic can be found here.

QUOTES
“Dufferin County is committed to ensuring our residents are safe and healthy, and that everyone in our community has access to the services they need – but we cannot do that alone. County Council calls on the Province to declare gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario, and for the provincial and federal governments to provide the necessary supports so that municipalities can act to keep our communities safe.”

– Wade Mills, Warden, Dufferin County

“The safety of our community and its members is of extreme importance to every Dufferin County resident, as well as to Dufferin County Council. We call on our partners at FCM, AMO and the provincial and federal governments to address the growing gender-based and intimate partner violence epidemic so that we can keep our community safe and provide services and support for victims and survivors.”

– Lisa Post, Councillor, Dufferin County

“Supporting community well-being and safety through collaboration and partnerships is a key goal of the County’s Strategic Plan. We know that there is work ahead to address key social challenges, and are working to ensure our most vulnerable community members have the supports they need, when they need them. The County will continue to advocate and collaborate with our partners to address the gender-based and intimate partner violence epidemic so that all members of our community are safe.”

– Sonya Pritchard, Chief Administrative Officer, Dufferin County
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca