Latest news with #genderbasedviolence
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Advocates say intimate partner violence is a public health crisis in B.C.
Advocates like Angela Marie MacDougall are calling intimate partner violence a public health crisis in B.C.,Premier David Eby acknowledged gender-based violence an epidemic in financial mandate letter last January.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Richmond, B.C. man charged with second-degree murder of intimate partner
A B.C. man has been charged with killing his partner in what an advocate calls a tragic example of the escalating crisis of gender-based violence in B.C. Thirty-three-year-old Richmond man, George Dragnea, was charged Saturday for second-degree murder in the death of a 51-year-old woman, according to a press release from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). The incident comes about two weeks after James Plover was charged with the second-degree murder of Bailey Plover after a public attack in Kelowna, B.C. Richmond RCMP says officers responded to a report on Friday of a woman "suffering from serious injuries" in the 8600 block of Capstan Way — an area with numerous apartment buildings and a shopping centre. The woman was pronounced deceased in hospital. The allegation against the man has not been proven in court. IHIT called it "an isolated incident," adding that because it's only alleged to have involved "the accused and the deceased who were in a relationship ... there is no ongoing risk to the public." But an advocacy group focused on eliminating violence against women and girls says it was not an isolated incident. "The way that the system frames this kind of violence — they frame it as private, random, and not something that's preventable," said Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women's Support Services (BWSS). "But we know that this is not the case, that it is public, it's not random, and it's absolutely preventable." 'This is a spike' MacDougall said five women have been killed, and three seriously injured, in B.C. since the end of June, all as a result of alleged intimate partner violence. "This is quite concerning, because this is a spike," she said. MacDougall cited a recent independent report, commissioned by the province, about how B.C.'s legal system treats sexual and intimate partner violence. The June 2025 report, by lawyer Kim Stanton, shows that nearly half of B.C. women (48 per cent) have experienced intimate partner violence since the age of 15. "That means it's a public safety emergency," MacDougall said. MacDougall wants to see the provincial and federal governments, as well as municipal councils, acknowledge the severity of the situation and engage in prevention. They can start, she said, by launching a task force on intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. "We want to engage all those levels to recognize that … there's citizens in their communities right now that are living in fear, that aren't safe and that they need to know what the services are that are available." She highlighted BWSS's five-part prevention strategy that includes age-appropriate and inclusive education to teach youth about respectful relationships; mandatory, standardized risk assessments in criminal and family law; and public education campaigns to promote survivor rights. "All citizens in the province of British Columbia that are living right now with fear, and where lethal violence is imminent, they need to know that their province cares about them." Accountability As part of Stanton's report on intimate partner violence, she made multiple recommendations to the province, including declaring gender-based violence a provincial epidemic and appointing a commissioner to oversee the province's progress. B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said after the report's release that that the government would "immediately" look into what can be done to improve how the legal system treats survivors. The province committed to investing in culturally safe victim services, to improve training within institutions, and also work on proposed changes to the family law act "including components specifically focused on intimate partner and family violence," she said. However, Stanton's report warned that recommendations made in the past weren't acted on and said there's still a lack of accountability, due in part to the fact that many of the province's existing services for addressing intimate partner violence are siloed in separate ministries. "[There is] no identified leader with the authority to ensure that what needs to be done gets done. This means that while everyone works in their own lane, no one has their eye on the bigger picture to evaluate and monitor..." If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. If you're affected by family or intimate partner violence, you can look for help through crisis lines and local support services.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Richmond, B.C. man charged with second-degree murder of intimate partner
A B.C. man has been charged with killing his partner in what an advocate calls a tragic example of the escalating crisis of gender-based violence in B.C. Thirty-three-year-old Richmond man, George Dragnea, was charged Saturday for second-degree murder in the death of a 51-year-old woman, according to a press release from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). The incident comes about two weeks after James Plover was charged with the second-degree murder of Bailey Plover after a public attack in Kelowna, B.C. Richmond RCMP says officers responded to a report on Friday of a woman "suffering from serious injuries" in the 8600 block of Capstan Way — an area with numerous apartment buildings and a shopping centre. The woman was pronounced deceased in hospital. The allegation against the man has not been proven in court. IHIT called it "an isolated incident," adding that because it's only alleged to have involved "the accused and the deceased who were in a relationship ... there is no ongoing risk to the public." But an advocacy group focused on eliminating violence against women and girls says it was not an isolated incident. "The way that the system frames this kind of violence — they frame it as private, random, and not something that's preventable," said Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women's Support Services (BWSS). "But we know that this is not the case, that it is public, it's not random, and it's absolutely preventable." 'This is a spike' MacDougall said five women have been killed, and three seriously injured, in B.C. since the end of June, all as a result of alleged intimate partner violence. "This is quite concerning, because this is a spike," she said. MacDougall cited a recent independent report, commissioned by the province, about how B.C.'s legal system treats sexual and intimate partner violence. The June 2025 report, by lawyer Kim Stanton, shows that nearly half of B.C. women (48 per cent) have experienced intimate partner violence since the age of 15. "That means it's a public safety emergency," MacDougall said. MacDougall wants to see the provincial and federal governments, as well as municipal councils, acknowledge the severity of the situation and engage in prevention. They can start, she said, by launching a task force on intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. "We want to engage all those levels to recognize that … there's citizens in their communities right now that are living in fear, that aren't safe and that they need to know what the services are that are available." She highlighted BWSS's five-part prevention strategy that includes age-appropriate and inclusive education to teach youth about respectful relationships; mandatory, standardized risk assessments in criminal and family law; and public education campaigns to promote survivor rights. "All citizens in the province of British Columbia that are living right now with fear, and where lethal violence is imminent, they need to know that their province cares about them." Accountability As part of Stanton's report on intimate partner violence, she made multiple recommendations to the province, including declaring gender-based violence a provincial epidemic and appointing a commissioner to oversee the province's progress. B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said after the report's release that that the government would "immediately" look into what can be done to improve how the legal system treats survivors. The province committed to investing in culturally safe victim services, to improve training within institutions, and also work on proposed changes to the family law act "including components specifically focused on intimate partner and family violence," she said. However, Stanton's report warned that recommendations made in the past weren't acted on and said there's still a lack of accountability, due in part to the fact that many of the province's existing services for addressing intimate partner violence are siloed in separate ministries. "[There is] no identified leader with the authority to ensure that what needs to be done gets done. This means that while everyone works in their own lane, no one has their eye on the bigger picture to evaluate and monitor..."
Zawya
3 days ago
- Health
- Zawya
Combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and sexual harassment: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) strengthens the capacities of ivorian actors
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Gender Development (CCDG), in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Family and Children, has initiated a national training workshop on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 June 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. As part of the implementation of the regional strategy adopted in 2021 to eradicate violence against women and girls in the community, the three-day meeting brought together judicial, health and social actors with the aim of strengthening their skills and coordinating a holistic approach to the care of victims of violence. The aim was to strengthen participants' skills in the prevention, detection and management of GBV and sexual harassment. Speaking at the opening, Moussa Diarassouba, Chief of Staff representing the Minister for Women, stressed the urgency of taking action. 'These overwhelming figures are voices crying out for justice, redress and protection. Inaction is no longer an option,' he warned. He called on judicial actors to guarantee access to justice and fight against impunity, including health professionals to become more involved in the medical and psychological care of victims, and social workers to support survivors in their social and economic reintegration. The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d'Ivoire, Ambassador Fanta Cissé, praised the efforts of the Ivorian government, which have enabled Côte d'Ivoire to take the lead in the fight against GBV. She did not fail to call on everyone to mobilise more strongly against the multiple forms of violence, which have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The challenges are immense and require the combined efforts of all to achieve zero tolerance for gender-based violence and sexual harassment,' she said. For her part, the Director of the CCDG, Ms Sandra Oulaté-Fattoh, said that professionals and other actors have a key role to play in the early recognition, appropriate treatment and support of survivors of such violence. 'To fulfil this role effectively, you need adequate training to enable you to recognise the signs and symptoms of gender-based violence and sexual harassment, even in cases where victims do not explicitly disclose their situation. This includes awareness of the different forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological and economic, as well as the cultural and social contexts that influence these situations,' she emphasised. As a reminder, in the ECOWAS region, more than 10% of women experience physical, sexual or emotional violence, often within the family. This situation has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen cases of GBV skyrocket, with an increase of up to 50% in some countries in the region. Côte d'Ivoire alone recorded 9,607 cases of gender-based violence in 2024, affecting 7,950 women and 3,290 children, according to official figures. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
CNN
5 days ago
- CNN
‘Even the person you report to can be a victim'. Femicide crisis in Kenya
CNN takes a look at gender-based violence in Kenya through the lens of female officers working at gender desks who themselves might be victims. With public trust in the police broken, it is ever more difficult for women to report harassment. This story is part of As Equals, CNN's ongoing series on gender inequality. For information about how the series is funded and more, check out our FAQs.
