Domestic Violence In Canada

The rate at which women are losing their lives to domestic violence is harrowing. According to research, over 6000 women and children sleep in shelters because they are not safe in their own homes. (see reference link) Women and girls account for 68% of domestic violence victims and 78% of intimate partner violence. (see reference link)

With the steady rise in numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, more women are still exposed to sexual and gender-based violence, with marital rape as the most common. The onset of the pandemic has seen a 5% increase in the reported intimate partner violence with an estimated 400,000 victims in 2020. Marriages devoid of trust and happiness are the order of the day that end up in murder and thousands of money spent dealing with these petrifying outcomes.

300 Canadian women are turned away from shelters because they are full. A woman dies every six days, which means children are orphaned and their mental health affected from these scary experiences. (see reference link)

Domestic violence drags behind the economic prosperity of Canada and the world at large. An average of $1.8 billion is used in patching up the mess it leaves behind. Children are the most affected since most of them have to check into psychiatric hospitals.

This upward trend is a threat to fundamental human rights. Even though the Canadian government has revised its policies to enhance women’s and girls’ safety, there is a lot that still needs to be done. Funding and building more shelters are a start but more sustainable solutions need to be implemented to ensure the safety of women and children across the country.