Norfolk declares gender-based violence epidemic

Reported incidents of domestic violence in county have doubled in recent years

A spike in reports of domestic violence in Norfolk County has prompted council to declare an epidemic in the rural community.

The move comes after similar declarations by 57 other Ontario municipalities — including Hamilton, Haldimand County and Brantford — in response to rising rates of intimate partner violence across the province.

The motion at a recent council meeting to declare an epidemic of gender-based violence — which includes femicide — came from Coun. Kim Huffman, who chairs Norfolk’s police services board.

Board members heard at a Sept. 27 meeting the OPP has already investigated 424 domestic disputes this year, putting the county on track to exceed the 506 calls reported in 2022. That is up from 252 calls in 2020.

Huffman called those statistics “staggering.”

“Every day there are reports of more intimate partner violence incidents,” she told councillors.

And the actual numbers are even higher.

“Those numbers do not include sexual violence within our community, which we know is widely unreported,” said Amber Wardell, who co-ordinates the Haldimand and Norfolk Justice for Women Review Team, a coalition of front line service providers and advocates.

Haldimand and Norfolk Women’s Services, the riding’s only shelter for women and children seeking protection from abusive situations, is often at capacity and forced to send people elsewhere.

Declaring gender-based violence a public health emergency in a letter to the province “acknowledges the widespread, pervasive and devastating impact of abuse and violence on individuals, families (and) communities,” Wardell said.

“Women and children are losing their lives to gender-based violence every week in our province.”

The Justice for Women Review Team also wants Norfolk to make the prevention of gender-based violence part of the county’s safety plan, provide training on genderbased violence to county employees, and improve transportation options for residents fleeing abuse.

‘‘ Women and children are losing their lives to gender-based violence every week in our province.

AMBER WARDELL HALDIMAND AND NORFOLK JUSTICE FOR WOMEN REVIEW TEAM