The only way to reduce the number of women who are being murdered by their husbands and boyfriends is more money and attention from the government to prevent intimate partner violence, according to the Be the Peace Institute.
Project Coordinator Stacey Godsoe says the sector does not get enough of a focus.
“Organizations are barely meeting current need, and need is increasing as we’re seeing things like [the rising] cost of living, insecure housing, and food insecurity,” says Godsoe.
The Be the Peace Institute is a not-for-profit group that focuses on changing the systemic and social patterns that lead to intimate partner violence.
Executive Director sue Bookchin says intimate partner violence is also rooted in inequality, which touches several aspects of our lives, including health care, schools, and the justice system.
“Women are still dismissed more often, not believed more often, called hysterical more often,” says Bookchin.
The group says more funding and education in schools is a good place for this government to start.
Justice Minister Becky Druhan and Minister Leah Martin say they want to strengthen their partnership with experts in the field.
They promised to work to address and prevent the root causes of intimate partner violence, and committed to give sustainable funding to community groups on the front lines.
More to come…
