• To commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25, Stouffville raised a “Stop Violence, End the Silence” flag up the Town’s community flagpole.
  • The Civic Square Clock Tower was also lit in purple, helping to mark the start of this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
  • The recognition was driven by advocacy from members of the Markham-Unionville and Aurora-Newmarket CFUW Clubs, formally known as the Canadian Federation of University Women.
  • CFUW members joined Mayor Iain Lovatt, Town Staff, Stouffville Fire and Emergency Services, and York Regional Police (YRP) for the flag-raising ceremony.
  • Fifty-nine femicides have been reported in Ontario over the past year, and YRP calls related to domestic violence continue to rise.
  • Bullet Point News recently spoke with Rhonda Seidman-Carlson and Barbara Bernabe, Co-Chairs of the Issues and Advocacy Committee for CFUW Markham-Unionville.

 

The colour purple has been chosen to show support for action on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. CFUW members attending the flag raising wore purple scarves, gloves, and other clothing to raise awareness of gender-based violence in Canada.

“Whether we call it domestic violence, intimate partner violence, or gender-based violence, the end result is always the same,” Bernabe stated during the ceremony. “Current statistics show that domestic violence is on the rise in our society and needs to be addressed now.”

According to Statistics Canada, women and girls account for 68% of family violence victims and 78% of intimate partner violence victims. Data from 2023 showed a 3% increase in police-reported family violence compared to 2022, with more than 139,000 total individuals affected. Intimate partner violence also rose by 1% year over year, resulting in 123,319 confirmed victims aged 12 and older.

“In York Region alone, the police have reported an increase in dispatched calls for domestic related violence from 8,684 in 2019 to 10,083 in 2023,” Bernabe added.

Based on data from the Ontario Association of Interval and Transitional Houses (OAITH), 59 femicides occurred in Ontario between Nov. 26, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024. OAITH defines femicide as the “gender-based killing of a woman, child, trans woman, Two-Spirit person, or gender-nonconforming individual where a male has been charged in relation to the death.” Since 1990, Ontario has recorded more than 1,080 femicides.

CFUW, founded in 1919, has more than 6,600 members and 94 local clubs across every Canadian province. Its vision is to empower women and girls through education to create transformative change throughout the world. The organization’s mission focuses on achieving educational and economic equality and promoting social justice through ongoing learning and advocacy.

The Markham-Unionville CFUW Club, now in its 40th year, has 157 members. Barbara Bernabe and Rhonda Seidman-Carlson serve as co-chairs of the Club’s Issues and Advocacy Committee, which focuses on nonpartisan activism and advocating for women’s and children’s issues at all levels of government.

“The Issues and Advocacy Committee of every chapter is really the core of what CFUW does,” Seidman-Carlson told Bullet Point News. She emphasized that their efforts to recognize the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women are vital for raising awareness and sparking dialogue about an ongoing and horrific problem.

“We want to open up avenues for people to have safe conversations around gender-based violence,” Seidman-Carlson said. “We want victims to know they are not alone, and that dialogue can have a ripple effect leading to larger impacts.”

“This has been a very silent problem. The people who are going through it are ashamed; they don’t want to talk about it,” Bernabe added. “So, I think the most important thing is to make more people aware that it’s out there, and that they need to be vigilant and look for signs. If you see something, say something, and let us share the responsibility of keeping everyone safe.”

CFUW actively participates in the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. Additional commemorative days include International Women Human Rights Defenders Day on Nov. 29 and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Dec. 6, which marks the anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre of 14 women.

The campaign provides tools and encourages individual actions to address violence against women, such as writing to elected officials to raise awareness, supporting victim services through donations and volunteering, and calling out gendered violence.

“We, as well as other Clubs, also continue to push for government declarations stating that violence against women is an epidemic, as statistics clearly show it fits that definition,” Seidman-Carlson said. “Sadly, not every community is willing to do so.”

In her view, declaring intimate partner and gender-based violence an epidemic would trigger a public health-based response: “There would be an ability to access further funding and resources because of it, and I don’t think that everybody—at the council or provincial level—understands that.”

While frustration boiled over in the Ontario Legislature during Monday’s Question Period debate over delays in making a Provincial declaration, York Region acknowledged the epidemic in September 2023. Regional Council committed to providing additional supports and published a list of available resources for victims in York Region. They also vowed to continue advocacy for further funding from other levels of government.

Stouffville has yet to make the declaration. However, Mayor Iain Lovatt told Bullet Point News he would support a motion declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic in 2025. Councillor Sue Sherban also confirmed her intention to put forward the resolution.

“Eliminating violence against women is not something that can be shouldered by any single individual or group. It’s a collective effort that requires involvement from all of us,” Lovatt said before raising the flag on Monday. “From individuals to communities, institutions, and government organizations, we must all come together to create a world where women are free from harm.”