In a delegation to Committee of the Whole on Thursday, AFW’s Holly Baines said OPP were involved in 233 domestic violence investigations last year, down just slightly from the annual average of 256.
She said there are many more victims who have not been able to seek help.
“Intimate partner violence affects 44% of women. There are 12,700 women in the County. That means about 6,000 people have, are currently or soon will be experiencing intimate partner violence.”
The Renfrew Inquest, an investigation on femicide stemming from the murders of three women by their former partner in 2015, made 86 recommendations, the first asking the Provincial Government to formally declare Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic.
AFW Executive Director Julie Watson says the province has not done so yet but some communities have.
“The biggest thing that it does is show the community that we are supportive of survivors and that we’re acknowledging this is a problem. And what I think that it’ll help do as well is create awareness for our organization and how we can help. Because I know that there is a large section of the community that don’t really know who we are.”
Lanark County, Mississippi Mills and the City of Ottawa have already made the declaration.
Councillors were receptive to the idea but some asked for more information regarding the inquest’s recommendations to get a better understanding of what declaring an epidemic would mean.
Watson and Baines said they will share that information.
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