This year, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Dec. 6 has additional resonance due to the soaring prevalence and severity of domestic violence throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Women's Support Network of York Region is hosting a virtual roundtable on Dec. 6 to discuss how local agencies are addressing the pandemic's unprecedented impact on gendered violence, starting at 1 p.m.
"COVID-19 has required gender-based violence service providers to pivot how they support the community and created a number of challenges. We are organizing a roundtable focused on the impact and trends of COVID-19 on service providers across the province," said Shannon Seeraj, public education coordinator at the Newmarket-based support network.
According to a survey by the Ending Violence Association of Canada in June, 46 per cent of service providers who work with domestic abuse victims noticed changes in the prevalence and severity of violence during the pandemic, with 82 per cent of these workers describing an increase in prevalence and severity of violence.
"We invite you to join our conversation with community members, organizational leaders and advocates reflecting on how we navigate supporting survivors of gender-based violence during a global pandemic," Seeraj added.
Speakers at the event include:
- Michelle Smith, executive director of the Sandgate Women's Shelter
- Margaret Arnason, executive director of the Assaulted Women's Helpline
- Lindsay Holder, staff lawyer at the Community Legal Clinic of York Region
The discussion is free, and attendees can register here.
