NDP calls for urgent response following another intimate partner violence death

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia NDP is calling for immediate action after another woman was killed in an act of intimate partner violence in Bridgewater over the weekend.

On Tuesday, NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender wrote a letter to Premier Tim Houston, who is currently attending a mining conference in Toronto, calling once again for his government to take action.

“The tragic loss of yet another Nova Scotian to intimate partner violence is devastating and infuriating. We are in the midst of an epidemic – one that demands an immediate and decisive response,” said Chender. “Yet this government let down hundreds of thousands of people across the province with its last budget. There is no new spending to address gender-based violence, and there is no increase in core funding to support the organizations that are doing the critical front-line work. Nova Scotians deserve better.”

The NDP has brought forward legislation to establish a formula for providing stable, core funding for organizations that work to address and prevent gender-based violence. Predictable funding allows organizations to plan and deliver the life-saving services that survivors rely on.

"Survivors and advocates have been pleading for this support for years, yet we continue to see inaction from this government," said Chender. "Women and gender-diverse people in Nova Scotia deserve to feel safe in their homes, their workplaces, and their communities. There have been eight deaths since we put forward a proposal to recognize the epidemic of gender-based violence and help front-line organisations do their important work. There is absolutely no excuse for the government’s failure. The Premier must act because lives depend on it.”

-30-