The announcement comes on the same day that police say a man has been charged with sexually assaulting a “underhoused” woman
The Toronto city council called gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic on Thursday, the same day a man was arrested for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a “underhoused” woman.
The declaration was part of a motion by Mayor Olivia Chow that passed without any opposition. It asks the provincial and federal governments to do the same thing, just weeks after Ontario refused to do so.
The city made the statement after a 54-year-old man approached a woman near the corner of Dufferin Street and Bloor Street West on Tuesday and tried to give her drugs despite her resistance. He was charged with sexual assault and drug distribution despite her resistance. Police said the man offered to drive her to his house, where he allegedly gave her food and drinks with a harmful substance and then sexually assaulted her.
Experts and advocates in the field say that while the move is a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to protect women from gender-based and intimate partner violence (IPV), especially those who are homeless.
Nina Gorka, who is in charge of shelters and clinical services at the Young Women’s Christian Association of Greater Toronto (YWCA), said, “We’re thrilled about this news. I think it will make a big difference in the work we do.” The group works to stop violence against women, build affordable housing, and promote workplace equality.
She says that the fact that police made the arrest announcement at the same time was “telling.”
“Those of us who work in the field are not surprised that this happened,” Gorka said.
“It’s good that someone has been arrested, but I’m not sure what that means in the long run. Just because someone was arrested doesn’t mean that they will be charged.
Gorka says that the criminal justice system should do more than just make arrests to make sure that cases like this don’t fall through the cracks.
She said that the declaration gives survivors a voice and makes them feel heard, which has a “big effect.”But, she said, YWCA shelters are always full and need more money.
“Many women… are stuck.
Advocates have said that declaring an epidemic is mostly symbolic, but that it uses a public health framework to help survivors and bring attention to the issue as a sociological phenomenon.
Toronto joined 30 other cities and towns in OntarioOn Thursday, Ottawa, Peel Region, Halton Region, and Renfrew County were among the places that have already called intimate partner violence an epidemic in their areas.
The jury at the Renfrew County, Ontario, coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Nathalie Warmerdam, Carol Culleton, and Anastasia Kuzyk in 2015,made 86 recommendationsMore than a year ago, there were efforts to stop similar tragedies, such as asking the province to call domestic violence an epidemic.
Chow has talked in public many times about how her mother was abused by her father and how she was able to rebuild her life with help that many victims don’t have, like safe and affordable housing.
“Because I had a basement apartment with only one mattress and one bed, she was able to move in with me and start a new life. “A lot of women and their children are stuck because they can’t afford to move out,” Chow said at a council meeting on Thursday.
“We need to give hope to women and children that are experiencing violence now, and one way to give hope is to say that you can recover.”
IPV is a “deeply concerning issue” that permeates every aspect of life in Toronto, from housing and food security to health, education, and the overall economy, says Carly Kalish, executive director of Victim Services Toronto, an organization that supports victims of violence and trauma.
Kalish says the declaration marks a “significant milestone” in the fight against gender-based violence and IPV in Toronto.
“The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, with femicide and hate crimes against women showing a disturbing increase, particularly evident on public transit,” Kalish said in a statement Thursday.
“We are grateful to Mayor Olivia Chow for championing this crucial motion. It is a powerful acknowledgement of the severity of the issue and a testament to our community’s commitment to creating a safer and more equitable Toronto for everyone.”
Motion urges all levels of government to hel
Thursday’s motion also urges the other levels of government to provide “necessary support to meaningfully address intimate partner violence.”
Harmy Mendoza, executive director of the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto, says the declaration is long overdue.
“This speaks a lot about the city’s commitment to address gender-based violence and intimate partner violence,” Mendoza told CBC Toronto.
“It allows us to move forward more confidently, knowing that this is now an important opportunity to make things happen more consciously.”
According to Statistics Canada, 90 homicide victims were killed in 2021 by an intimate partner — three-quarters of them women and girls — up from 84 victims in 2020 and 77 victims in 2019.
The Toronto declaration made Thursday also advocates for the term femicide to be added to the Criminal Code, which mirrors one of the inquest recommendations to the federal government.
Femicide is defined as “the killing of one or more females, primarily by males, because they are female,” according to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice.
Toronto will now seek input from the city’s top doctor, Indigenous affairs office, police and community organizations on best ways to act on the declaration and invest in related programs and services.