Since October 18th, 2024, there have been six fatal incidents of intimate partner violence in Nova Scotia. Each of the six incidents involved a woman being killed, and a woman’s father in one case, by a male partner. Many of us across the province, and the country, are grieving the loss of these individuals, who loved deeply, lived fully, and impacted so many: 59-year-old Brenda Tatlock-Burke of Enfield; 49-year-old Nicole Murphy of Yarmouth; a 71-year-old woman of Cole Harbour; 40-year-old Coralee (Alisha) Smith and her father, Bradford Downey, of Halifax; 60-year-old Elaine Mosher of Mahone Bay; and most recently, 22-year-old Paiyton Pick of Centreville.

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Alongside the devastation and heartbreak, there is fear, uncertainty, and… frustration. For those of us who are connected to survivor-serving non-profit organizations in Nova Scotia, through employment, volunteering, or being on the receiving end of support, we are shaken by the growing death toll of this epidemic, and more frustrated each day that we are not sufficiently resourced to engage in effective, long-term prevention. Since Nova Scotia officially declared intimate partner violence to be an epidemic back in September, we have been hopeful that funding allocated to organizations in our sector would have an epidemic-level increase. However, this has not been the case.

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When it comes to knowledge, lived experience, empathy, and capacity for meaningful education, survivor support, and advocacy, we are overflowing. When it comes to our ability to pay those who are doing this integral work, alongside supporting the basic needs of our clients to ensure their safety, shelter, healing, and overall well-being, we seem to be in a constant state of insecurity. At the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, we offer our clients an array of programs and services geared towards personal development and empowerment; reaching employment and education goals; living with mental health and substance use concerns; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing from experiences of violence; meeting short and long-term (when possible) housing needs; and navigating the legal system and other community services. This holistic approach, rather than isolating individual factors, is essential to our overarching goal of supporting smooth community reintegration, reducing likelihood of recidivism, promoting access to justice, and preventing violence in every form. Our partnerships with other non-profit organizations, such as Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton, Coverdale Justice Society, John Howard Society of Nova Scotia, Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, Adsum for Women and Children, Bryony House, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, and more, are essential to meeting these goals. Yet unfortunately our partners are subjected to the same financial uncertainty that we face. The unique programs and services that our organizations provide, with a mission of preventing violence and creating safe, thriving, and sustainable communities, are interconnected and mutually dependent. The existence of one organization, offering its unique expertise, perspective, and approach to meeting community needs, is fundamental to the sustainability of the entire sector.

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Strategy for effective, long-term intimate partner violence prevention has to be multi-faceted. It needs to involve meeting the urgent needs of our province’s most vulnerable, such as access to safe, secure, and affordable housing; adequate mental and physical health care; and sufficient income, employment, and education support. Meeting these urgent needs creates safe spaces, options for independence, reduced household strain, and healthy coping mechanisms, which are all essential to intimate partner violence prevention. Simultaneously, we need to address root causes of intimate partner violence, and gender-based violence in all its forms. These include gender inequalities, inequities, and injustices in all spaces and settings; hegemonic, violent forms of masculinity- products of patriarchal institutions that harm people of all genders; and ongoing colonialism, racism, and discrimination that perpetuate hatred, division, and need for control. Addressing these root causes requires comprehensive education, awareness-building, and ongoing advocacy.

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Our organization, and the many other dedicated organizations striving to fight this epidemic every day, have the skills, expertise, and dedication required to engage in intimate partner violence prevention, but not without sufficient, long-term government funding. Without taking this step, declaring this violence to be an epidemic means nothing.