EDITOR:
The theme of Family Violence Prevention Week this year is Engaging Men and Boys in violence prevention. Family violence and violence against women is a societal issue directly linked to other major challenges we face in society. Income inequality, rising costs of housing, stagnation of wages and gender norms and stereotypes all contribute directly to domestic violence.
Domestic violence has been an endemic issue on this Island for generations. In 2019, #Timesup for domestic violence in P.E.I. There is no reason why anyone on this Island must live the horror of facing abuse inside their home. Many forms of violence exist, and domestic and family violence often involves physical, verbal, financial, and psychological abuses. We know the world can be a difficult place. When we leave our house each morning, we know potential challenges face us along the way (traffic accidents, interpersonal conflicts, etc.). Although we accept challenges in public spaces, we deserve a reprieve in our homes. For an individual or family dealing with domestic violence the home is the battleground. For generations we have turned a blind eye, ignoring clear warning signs and spending more time finding justifications to blame victims of abuse instead of examining the root causes of violence.
Instead of focusing on why individuals and families stay in homes that are abusive, we should ask ourselves, why is this abuse happening and what can we do to put an end to it? We must look critically at structures and norms that contribute to violence. Higher wages, closing the gender pay gap, more affordable and safe housing, and a better understanding of gender norms and their constraints at a younger age for all genders would help to decrease rates of violence in and outside of the home. Violence increases in our communities as inequality rises, we must look at building equity in society to increase safety. We must accept that violence is occurring in homes across our Island and we must stand up to all forms of violence.
Jillian Kilfoil,
On behalf of Women’s Network P.E.I.
