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The votes have been counted, but for organizations supporting survivors of intimate partner violence, the work with Ontario’s newly elected municipal councils is just beginning.
This week on Silence Broken: The IPV Talks, host Bob Perreault and Lanark County Interval House Executive Director Erin Lee look ahead to the next four years of local government.
Lee says IPV cannot be viewed only as a provincial, federal or county responsibility. Local councils also have a role.
Lanark County was an early municipal leader in recognizing IPV as an epidemic, but Lee says declarations need to be followed by action.
She points to opportunities including community safety audits, housing alternatives, transportation, public education and stronger partnerships with organizations already supporting survivors.
The new municipal term also provides a chance to build relationships with incoming councillors while continuing work with returning leaders.
Lee says progress should eventually be measurable.
Lee says another sign of progress would be IPV appearing regularly on municipal agendas, along with fewer serious incidents of violence.
The complete conversation is featured in this week’s Silence Broken: The IPV Talks.
