Hub Staff

Violence Prevention Grey Bruce (VPGB), a community based cross-sector committee whose aim is an inclusive community where all people are able to live their lives free from all forms of violence and oppression, made a presentation to Bruce County Council November 7 in Walkerton.

Founded in 1997, VPGB works with over 30 organizations in the Grey Bruce region and offered Bruce County Council a January to June 2018 snapshot of gendered violence and social factors in the two counties.

During the six month period, 339 domestic violence calls were made to local police forces (not including OPP) with 171 (133 men and 38 women) resulting in charges. Sexual violence calls totalled 17, human trafficking calls totalled three with one domestic homicide/femicide call.

In the two counties, 106 women and 36 children were living in shelters during the same six month period with an average of 26 Violence against Women (VAW) crisis and counselling calls per day. (Statistics do not include crisis response and counselling provided by the hospitals or private counselors.)

Concerning child welfare, families receiving support as of June 30 totalled 390 while CAS cases attributed to domestic or sexual violence totalled 70 (18 percent).

Calls to women's shelters totalled 4,784.

The unemployment rate as of July 2018 was 3 percent. Households receiving Ontario Works benefits totalled 1,949 while people receiving ODSP totalled 6,855.

The wait list for subsidized housing in the two counties as of June 2018 was 1,274 (854 in Grey and 420 in Bruce).

The presentation cited a connection between economic insecurity and the ability to leave abusive relationships.

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women in Canada in remembrance of the 14 young women who were killed in 1989 at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal because they were women. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the event.

VPGB is requesting that all national flags in Grey and Bruce be flown at half mast on December 6.

VPGB has joined the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign that takes place from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day), "a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world" and are encouraging communities and organizations to develop and consider policies that may impact the safety of people facing gender based violence.

For more information visit violencepreventiongreybruce.com.