Kingston city council declares intimate partner violence an epidemic
Global News
The city of Kingston has joined 57 other communities in Ontario declaring intimate partner violence is an epidemic. Council passed the motion unanimously.
Kingston city councillor and deputy mayor Wendy Stephen was one of three councillors that spoke passionately Tuesday evening about a motion to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.
“As community leaders I think it’s important for us to be clear in our message to the people living in these complicated relationships, you are not alone,” stated Stephen when the motion was before council.
Stephen moved the motion and it was seconded by Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson.
Council passed the motion unanimously and joined a growing number of of municipalities in Ontario making the declaration.
Momentum behind the declaration stems from a 2022 coroners inquest looking into the deaths of 3 Renfrew women killed by their former partner.
The coroners inquest investigating the 2015 deaths of Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam made a total of 86 recommendations.
Leigh Martins with Kingston Interval House and Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee was joined by Deirdre Reddick the KFACC chair appeared before council to speak to the motion.
“Unfortunately our provincial government chose not to state IPV (Intimate partner violence) as an epidemic. stating the language ‘epidemic’ should go with health concerns,” said Martins answering questions from city council members.