N.B. legislature says gender-based violence an epidemic in unanimous vote
Clarification: The N.B. legislature says gender-based violence is an epidemic, not the government of New Brunswick, after a motion was supported by all provincial MLAs last week.
The New Brunswick legislature says gender-based violence is an epidemic.
The motion, introduced by PC MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace, was unanimously adopted in the legislature on Thursday.
This comes after more than 20 organizations wrote an open letter calling on the province to make the declaration.
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'Naming a crisis an epidemic is not symbolic, it is strategic, so people can get the resources we need,' said Scott-Wallace.
'It is putting a proper name to a problem that needs to be addressed.'
According to the most recent available data from 2023, New Brunswick has the third highest rate of intimate partner violence reported in the country.
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The province saw an almost 40 per cent increase over a 12-year period, with rural communities being particularly affected.
Nova Scotia is the only province in Canada that has officially declared gender-based violence is an epidemic.
The government of New Brunswick must still officially declare IPV an epidemic to match what Nova Scotia did.
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