Toronto declares gender-based, intimate partner violence an epidemic

Toronto city council declared gender-based and intimate partner violence an epidemic Thursday — the same day a man was arrested for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting an "underhoused" woman.

The declaration was part of a motion from Mayor Olivia Chow that passed with no opposition, and calls on the provincial and federal governments to make the same move, just weeks after Ontario declined to do so. 

The city's declaration came as a 54-year-old man was charged with sexual assault and administer drug overcome resistance after approaching a woman Tuesday near the intersection of Dufferin Street and Bloor Street West. Police said the man offered to drive her to his home, where he allegedly gave her food and drinks that contained a noxious substance before sexually assaulting her.

Experts and advocates in the sector say while the move is a step in the right direction, more needs to be done to ensure women are protected from gender-based and intimate partner violence (IPV) — especially those who are unhoused.

"We're thrilled with this announcement, I think it will make a big difference to the work that we do," said Nina Gorka, director of shelters and clinical services at the Young Women's Christian Association of Greater Toronto (YWCA). The organization helps fight gender-based violence, build affordable housing and advocate for workplace equity.

She says the timing of police's announcement with the arrest was "telling."

"It's not surprising to those of us who work in the sector that this incident occurred," Gorka said.

"While there's some encouragement in terms of an arrest made, I also question what that means in the long term. Just because an arrest happened doesn't mean that it's going to amount to charges."

Gorka says more should be done beyond arrests to ensure cases like these don't fall through the cracks in the criminal justice system.  

She said the declaration gives recognition and voice to survivors, which has a "large impact." But, she pointed out, YWCA shelters run at capacity 100 per cent of the time and need more funding.

'A lot of women... are trapped'

Advocates have said a declaration of an epidemic, while largely symbolic, uses a public health framework to help survivors and bring attention to the issue as a sociological phenomenon.

Toronto joined 30 other municipalities across Ontario Thursday that have already declared intimate partner violence an epidemic in their jurisdictions, including Ottawa, Peel Region, Halton Region and Renfrew County.

The jury at a coroner's inquest into the 2015 deaths of Nathalie Warmerdam, Carol Culleton and Anastasia Kuzyk in Renfrew County, Ont., made 86 recommendations more than one year ago aimed at preventing similar tragedies, including a call to the province to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.

Chow has often spoken publicly about abuse suffered by her mother at the hands of her father, and how she was able to rebuild her life thanks to supports that aren't available to many victims, such as safe and affordable housing.

"Because I had a basement apartment, even though it was one mattress and one bed, we were able to share the mattress, she was able to live with me, which began her new life.... A lot of women and their children are trapped because they can't afford to move out," Chow said during the council meeting Thursday.

"We need to give hope to women and children that are experiencing violence now, and one way to give hope is to say that you can recover."

IPV is a "deeply concerning issue" that permeates every aspect of life in Toronto, from housing and food security to health, education, and the overall economy, says Carly Kalish, executive director of Victim Services Toronto, an organization that supports victims of violence and trauma.

Kalish says the declaration marks a "significant milestone" in the fight against gender-based violence and IPV in Toronto.

"The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, with femicide and hate crimes against women showing a disturbing increase, particularly evident on public transit," Kalish said in a statement Thursday.

"We are grateful to Mayor Olivia Chow for championing this crucial motion. It is a powerful acknowledgement of the severity of the issue and a testament to our community's commitment to creating a safer and more equitable Toronto for everyone."

Motion urges all levels of government to help

Thursday's motion also urges the other levels of government to provide "necessary support to meaningfully address intimate partner violence."

Harmy Mendoza, executive director of the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto, says the declaration is long overdue.

"This speaks a lot about the city's commitment to address gender-based violence and intimate partner violence," Mendoza told CBC Toronto. 

"It allows us to move forward more confidently, knowing that this is now an important opportunity to make things happen more consciously."

According to Statistics Canada, 90 homicide victims were killed in 2021 by an intimate partner — three-quarters of them women and girls — up from 84 victims in 2020 and 77 victims in 2019.

The Toronto declaration made Thursday also advocates for the term femicide to be added to the Criminal Code, which mirrors one of the inquest recommendations to the federal government.

Femicide is defined as "the killing of one or more females, primarily by males, because they are female," according to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice.

Toronto will now seek input from the city's top doctor, Indigenous affairs office, police and community organizations on best ways to act on the declaration and invest in related programs and services.