Violence against women increases across Simcoe Muskoka
Flags at Barrie City Hall flew at half-mast on Tuesday to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
December 6 marks one of Canada's most horrific tragedies after a gunman motivated by his hatred of feminists killed 14 female students and injured 13 others at Montreal's École Polytechnique in 1989.
The pain of that day continues to linger across the country, including in communities across central Ontario.
"This is a very important day. It's a sad day," said Teresa Maclennan, executive director at the Barrie Women and Children Shelter.
Thirty-three years later, Maclennan says violence against women and girls in Barrie is rising, especially during the pandemic.
"Because women were isolating at home with their abuser," she explained. "We heard more and more women say, 'He's going to kill me."
And it's not just Barrie noting an increase in violence toward women.
Hannah Lin, executive director of the YWCA Muskoka, says dozens of women were killed in Ontario this year alone, with 17 per cent from rural areas.
"Fifty-two lives lost in 52 weeks. That's too many," said Lin. "There may be fewer housing options available to them. Some of the rural communities are less resourced, so there's less access to support services."
Advocates say those challenges need to be addressed, along with education.
"When you educate people on a) what is abuse, what does that look like, it makes people more aware of the situations they might be in where they might have deemed it as normal until it's not," said Amanda Wagner, with Huronia Transition Homes.
For Brenda Sedgwick, a psychotherapist and victim of abuse, remembering the lives lost more than three decades ago in Montreal brings mixed emotions.
"For me, it is particularly formative to understand that you're not alone and that other people do experience this," she said.
Candlelight vigils honouring the women who lost their lives will be held in communities across the region tonight, including in Huntsville, Midland and Barrie.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.