Nova Scotia government creating engagement table to address gender-based violence
The Nova Scotia government is creating an engagement table to address gender-based violence in the province.
The table, which will be led by Attorney General and Justice Minister Becky Druhan, will have up to 25 members. Members will include representatives of front-line service providers and community organizations, survivors, family members and academic experts.
'Nova Scotians have told us that gender-based violence supports and services need to be more connected, more responsive and easier to access,' said Druhan in a news release Tuesday. 'We need to work together with the people providing support and the survivors who access those services. It's about understanding needs as they evolve, getting help to people faster and working together to stop violence before it starts.'
In September 2024, the government declared intimate partner violence an epidemic in Nova Scotia.
Since October, police in Nova Scotia have reported the deaths of seven women and one man, allegedly from intimate partner violence.
'Gender-based violence is a complex issue, but it's one I know we can solve if we listen to the experts and find solutions, together,' said Leah Martin, minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
The province has also introduced domestic violence court programs in Halifax and Sydney and legal changes that allow victims of domestic violence to take leave from work without fear of losing their jobs.
The engagement table will be supported by:
the minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women
the minister of Opportunities and Social Development
the minister of Health and Wellness
the minister of Addictions and Mental Health
the minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
the minister of L'nu Affairs
the minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs
A call for applications to join the table will be issued in the coming weeks. The group will meet at least every three months.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
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