After decades of activism, the fight against intimate partner violence is gaining momentum and we need your support to continue moving this fight forward.
On March 7, 2024, the Ontario NDP tabled The Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act (Bill 173) that calls on the government to respond appropriately to the growing numbers of people affected by intimate partner violence in the province of Ontario. It was moved to second reading and then sent to committee for further “analysis” then never brought back for the final vote. Stop the delay, it’s time for MPPs to take action.
Declaring IPV an epidemic is important because it:
- Highlights how widespread intimate partner violence is
- Addresses the health and social impacts including physical injuries, mental health issues, substance abuse, and even death
- Allows our healthcare systems and other organizations to dedicate more funding, research and social services to ending violence
- Increases public awareness
- Fights stigma
- Gives public services the mandate to build up prevention tools, not just crisis response
Bill 173 aims to declare Intimate Partner Violence an epidemic, and passing the bill can be done immediately
A bill similar to Ontario’s Bill 173 was introduced in the Nova Scotia legislature on September 12, 2024 and, with the support of Unifor, it was passed immediately and unanimously.
Ontario can and must do this, too.
Please take a moment now to tell MPPs to pass Bill 173!
