FST: IPV is an epidemic
July 20, 2023
As an organization dedicated to supporting survivors of violence against women (VAW), Family Service Toronto welcomes Toronto City Council’s July 20 decision to declare gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic.
The declaration was part of a motion from Mayor Olivia Chow that passed with no opposition and calls on the provincial and federal governments to make the same move.
FST remains deeply concerned and disappointed by the Ontario government’s recent decision to reject a Coroner’s Inquest jury recommendation to declare intimate partner violence (IPV) as an epidemic across the province.
This decision, published June 28, 2023, does a disservice to the countless victims and their families who have suffered the devastating consequences of IPV.
Family Service Toronto supported Mayor Chow’s recommendation at City Council to Declare Gender-Based Violence and Intimate Partner Violence an Epidemic in the City of Toronto. In doing so, the City joined 30 other Ontario municipalities calling for the same declaration.
Read FST’s full statement and join us in raising awareness about the importance of addressing IPV as a public health crisis.