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a IBNEWS “THOUSANDS OF CASES REPORTED insidehalton.com girl who was found dead alongside her biological fa- ther in Milton in 2020. She has become an outspoken advocate on the issue of IPV and gave a delegation before regional council on the matter. She believes that this kind of declaration from the region helps to move this issue out of the shad- ows and into a space where it can change. "Thirty to forty children are killed per year by a par- ent. However, unlike other ‘killers’ in society, such as cancer, heart disease and infectious disease, the do- mestic violence crisis re- mains largely hidden from mainstream society. Many of these cases do not even make it to the media. Soci- ety's silence allows it to continue, unabated," said Kagan-Viater. According to a Statistics Canada report based on 2018 data, roughly 44 per cent of Canadian woman age 15 and older reported some form of psychologi- cal, physical, or sexual abuse in the context of an intimate relationship in their lifetime. Locally, Halton Wom- en's Place receives about 2, 500 calls annually to its risis information and sup- port line. There are several indi- cators that the situation is getting worse. “The prevalence rate of domestic violence is in- creasing, exacerbated by A PLACE TO Del, al Unt (I JOIN US FOR A TOUR AND LUNCH. DELMANOR Glen Abbey Inspired Retirement Living™ 1459 NOTTINGHILL GATE OAKVILLE 905-469-3232 : POLICE the COVID-19 pandemic, ana thenee need f for services t to ae ‘outpaced the ail of service providers to meet the demand," Kagan- Viater said. Of the more than calls that Halton veliee fielded last year, Deputy Chief Jeff Hill told regional council that police laid 2,100 charges while making 949 arrests. This year, po- lice have responded to 544 incidents of IPV in Burling- ton, 414 incidents in Oak- ville, and 495 incidents in the Milton and George- town areas. “Tragically, we have seen women murdered in 2022 and 2023 in Burlington and Milton," he said. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. "It is believed that only 30 per cent of violence is re- “The prevalence rate of domestic violence is increasing, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for services to keep survivors safe has vastly outpaced the ability of service providers to meet the demand.” ~ Jennifer Kagan-Viater ported to police, meaning the importance of Brovid- harsh reality, Jerusha Mack, a manager at Halton Women's Place, said at the eeting that the region would be taking a step of action in "creating safer spaces in Halton for wom- en and children." “We can more offective: ly alloca urces ant tmaplenent evidence | ae message to survivors: "We hear you, we see you, and we are driven by the cour- 70 per cent of survivors are not even calling us," Hill ding {0 Milton Ali, ‘Acco councillor Sam¢ cultural shame and taboo play a factor in the reluc- tance of abuse victims to seek help — notably within the South Asian communi- ty — with some also afraid to lose their immigration ingi age, ry tion within the ethnic im- _ of our survivors to fight for migrant communities so change in our local com- that women know their munity.” ights. For Kagan-Viater, her said fervent advocacy is person- which has a dedicated inti- mate partner violence unit “Domestic violence and —_— en har to work to systemic failures killed my rmation 4-year-old daughter Keira," ane en reduce th the stigma, e said. "We want to spare as well as on risk interven- others from experiencing status. tion, prevention and social this kind of horrific trage- "These of fe along with dy and victimization, not tive on them, which is why unity partners, be- only by a violent perpetra- they continue to be i in abu: cause police alone arenot tor, but the systems that sive empowered him. 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