LEAF, Avalon Centre, and Wellness Within to bring important perspective on gender-based violence, gender equality to Nova Scotia’s Mass Casualty Commission
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, and Wellness Within will jointly bring their expertise on gender-based violence and gender equality to the Mass Casualty Commission’s investigation into the tragic events of April 18-19, 2020.
Today, the Mass Casualty Commission granted the applications of LEAF, Avalon Centre, and Wellness Within for participation in the Commission’s work. This means that these organizations will be able to bring their voices to Commission proceedings, and help inform the Commission’s recommendations to prevent future violence.
“It will be critical for the Commission to examine the relationship between the horrific events of April 2020 and intimate partner violence,” said Pam Hrick, Executive Director & General Counsel of LEAF. “LEAF will be there alongside Avalon Centre and Wellness Within to support the Commission’s work, and to ensure that its recommendations respond to the harms of gender-based violence in this case and more broadly.”
The mass casualty event has a strong link to gender-based violence. The killer allegedly first abused his female partner, before killing 22 people. Gender-based violence has also played a role in other mass killings, including the 2014 murders of six people in California by a self-described “incel”.
More broadly, women, girls, and gender-diverse people continue to experience a disproportionate level of violence in Canada. According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice, 160 women and girls were killed in Canada in 2020. That represents one woman or girl every two-and-a-half days.
LEAF, Avalon Centre, and Wellness Within support the Commission’s mandate to examine the role of intimate partner and gender-based violence in this mass casualty event. While the Commission carries out its work, LEAF, Avalon Centre, and Wellness Within call on federal, provincial, and territorial governments to develop and implement a National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence. Governments must also prioritize the implementation of the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which have thus far gone unanswered.
“It is well past time to end gender-based violence in this country,” said Martha Paynter, Chair of Wellness Within. “Wellness Within is honoured to participate in the Commission’s important work in coalition with LEAF and Avalon Centre while continuing to call for government action to eradicate gender-based violence throughout Canada.”
“We are grateful that the Commission has recognized the long-standing contributions of feminist and anti-violence organizations to address and respond to misogyny and gender-based violence,” said Jackie Stevens, Executive Director of Avalon Sexual Assault Centre. “We look forward to this collaboration with LEAF and Wellness Within. Our communities expect and deserve more effective responses to these incidents, as we work together to eliminate Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence.”
For media commentary, please contact:
Pam Hrick
Executive Director & General Counsel, LEAF
416-627-9024
pam.h@leaf.ca
Jackie Stevens
Executive Director, Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
902-422-4240
jackie@avaloncentre.ca
Martha Paynter
Chair, Wellness Within
902-292-7082
Martha.paynter@gmail.com