This following report provides a comparison of femicide rates in Ontario from January
1st - March 1st 2020 and January 1st - March 1st 2021. It is important to note that the
information pertaining to the 2021 femicide cases may be incomplete due to ongoing
police investigations. This can be seen quite evidently through the examination of cause
of death for femicide victims in 2021 where there is a high number of cases where
cause of death has been coded as unknown. This is likely due to the lack of details that
have been provided by police pertaining to cause of death. As investigations continue
there will likely be further details released allowing for a more thorough analysis of
trends related to cause of death. It is also important to note the total number of
femicides may not be accurate for both 2020 and 2021. The OAITH femicide list relies
on media reporting to track femicide cases and as a result these totals may not capture
all of the femicide victims who may have been omitted from media coverage.
This following report provides an examination of femicide cases in Ontario from
November 26, 2017- November 25, 2020. A total of 117 femicide cases were included in
this data set involving women ages 18 and older. This dataset includes victims with the
following victim-perpetrator relationship types: intimate partner, family, known and
unknown (details are unknown but targeted/gendered attack). It is important to note that
the information pertaining to these femicide cases may be incomplete due to ongoing
police investigations, lack of police disclosure, publication bans and limited media
reporting. It is also important to note the total number of confirmed femicides may not be
accurate. The OAITH femicide list relies on media reporting to track femicide cases and
as a result these totals may not capture all of the femicide victims who may have been
omitted from media coverage.
The purpose of this document is to provide
police services across Canada with a framework
of leading practices to address Sexual Violence.
This work will continue to evolve and as a result,
will inform the ongoing development of best and
appropriate practices. This response encourages
evidence-based trauma informed investigations
while improving on our support for victims/
survivors of sexual violence.
"This analysis demonstrates the significant impacts that COVID-19 has had on shelter spaces,
and services. It shows that no matter the size or location of the shelter, gender-based violence/
violence against women shelters were not designed to thrive under the public health directives of
a pandemic. In the first instance we hope that the recommendations provide some guidance for
immediate ways to offset some of the worst impacts and support better experiences of service for
women and staff. Going forward, these results can be used to advocate for public health protocols
that better align with the values of gender-based violence/violence against women shelters
including supporting the funding of renovations that create more flexible spaces for future crises."
This literature review was compiled in May 2020 as a supplemental document to attendees of the “Virtual VAW Work in the Time of COVID-19” webinar hosted by OAITH’s COVID-19 Working Group on May 20th, 2020. This literature review provides a quick snapshot of resources in a variety of formats which related to violence against women work within a virtual context, during COVID-19 in Ontario. We greatly appreciate the support of Lakehead University in the compilation of this review.
This report was prepared by The Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH) COVID-19 Working Group. OAITH
is a member-based coalition made up of VAW women shelters, VAW second stage housing programs and VAW community-based
women's organizations across Ontario. OAITH works towards ending all forms of gender-based violence and oppressions through
advocacy, education, research and training.
In response to the pandemic, OAITH formed the COVID-19 Working Group in March 2020 to assist VAW services and the survivors
they serve, in navigating challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, state of emergency and related impacts. All members
of OAITH were invited to participate and contribute their expertise and resources related to social media, resources, and genderbased
violence within the COVID-19 crisis context. The first meeting of the Working Group was held virtually on March 26th 2020.
To gain a greater sense of the challenges and needs of VAW organizations and frontline workers during the pandemic, on April
14th, 2020 the Working Group distributed an electronic survey to all OAITH members focused on VAW Work in the Time of COVID-
19. All OAITH members were asked to distribute the anonymous survey to all staff and management at all organizational levels.
Questions were largely qualitative and a thematic analysis was completed.