By Emily Stonehouse

Please note that the following article contains graphic depictions of gender-based violence and femicide that some readers may find disturbing. To receive support around this topic, please reach out to the Haliburton YWCA at 705-286-1942.

We may not see it prominently across the county, but gender-based violence and intimate partner violence remains a growing concern across the region.

“The risk of violence is 2.5 times greater in rural areas,” said Nycole Duncan, the women’s centre manager for the local branch of the YWCA. “There are barriers here that are just different from other communities.”

Last December, Duncan and her cohorts from the YWCA spoke to county council, bringing to the table the fact that gender-based violence is an epidemic in the area; noting its widespread occurrences.

The event was ushered in from the tragic murders of three women from Renfrew County in 2015. All three women had past relationships with the same man, and all three were murdered on the same day. “The risks from partner violence can continue for years,” noted Duncan. “Sometimes the risk of lethality actually increases when you leave.”

December 6 marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, created in honour of the 14 women murdered during the mass femicide at École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989.

To remember these women, the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Haliburton Highlands held a vigil by the museum in Haliburton, to honour and celebrate the lives that were cut too short. All because they were women.

With over 30 in attendance, the CFUW hiked through the snowy trails of the Sculpture Forest on Saturday, to pay tributes to the women of École Polytechnique, and everything their murders represent. “It was a massacre that still leaves us reeling from grief and anger,” said Nora Stewart, president of CFUW Haliburton Highlands. “Gender based violence is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms that run deep in our community, our nation, and our world.”

Each name of a woman murdered during the Montreal Massacre was read, with their photograph and a white ribbon – the symbol for gender based violence awareness – placed on an evergreen tree. A moment of silence was held for all in attendance.

Despite ongoing community presence, the YWCA continues to see a spike in gender-based crime in recent years. According to Statistics Canada, one woman or girl is killed every other day somewhere in our country, primarily by men. On average, a woman is killed by her male partner once every week. It was noted that some groups of women and girls are disproportionately impacted by femicide, depending on where they live in Canada, or because of their race, religion, sexuality, ability, and/or age.

“We don’t have a justice system,” said Duncan. “We have a legal system, and that’s different.”

She went on to note that in rural communities such as Haliburton County, challenges around geography, transportation, connectivity, and increased access to guns all play a part in increased violence.

With a geographical spread of over 4,000 square kilometres, Duncan noted that that averages to a population density of five people per square kilometre. Within the area, it is conservatively predicted that over 2,500 women have or are experiencing violence. And those are just the ones that are reported. Many other cases fall through the cracks or are never brought to light, for fear of community stigmas and judgement within a rural region.

“We want to break down those barriers,” said Duncan, noting the many challenges women face when going against rural femicide. “I am very passionate about that. And we know that the unreported cases are so, so high.”

When the YWCA presented to council last winter, while Duncan shared that other councils had to deliberate about the epidemic status, the local council unanimously agreed to take the matter seriously, without further deliberation. “We have so much gratitude towards Haliburton County,” she said, “because when we ask for something, they show up … there is help, there is hope.”

Duncan noted that escaping a violent situation can be incredibly difficult to navigate. While she welcomes calls to the YWCA, she recognizes this is not always a possibility, based on shared spaces or limited phone access. “We can meet somewhere else in the county, if that’s easier,” she said. “I can meet you at the hospital, or at another organization. We’re really trying to be available in any way we can.”

On top of the local YWCA, there are also a number of safe space houses locally, as well as a Crossroads shelter available if needed. Duncan noted that in a rural area, community partnerships with like-minded organizations are crucial in an effort to offer appropriate and timely services to anyone in need.

Gender-based violence can happen to anyone, at any time. If you need help, do not hesitate to reach out to the YWCA for support. “The community is really stepping up to help out,” said Duncan. “If you see something, it’s important you say something. The rural realities of women are very different.”