To the Editor,
It is with great sadness that the Haldimand & Norfolk Justice for Women Review Team shares the news of the femicide of Marlene Wilson in Waterford, Ontario, on February 12, 2023.
Femicide, most broadly defined, means the gender-based killing of women and girls and the most extreme form of violence towards them. Last year in Ontario, 52 femicides were confirmed in just 52 weeks on Ontario Association of Interval and Transition House’s (OAITH) femicide list. Fifty-two mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and daughters representing immeasurable loss and grief across families and communities.
The H&N Justice for Women Review Team extends our condolences to Marlene’s family and friends. Ninety-year-old Marlene is remembered by loved ones as being “full of life” and enjoyed travelling and camping. Marlene’s 34-year-old grandson has been charged with first-degree murder in relation to her death.
Although often associated only with past and current intimate partners, many femicides are perpetrated within other types of relationships, such as family members or others known to them. As femicide rates continue to rise across Ontario, we must take action. Please take a moment to pause and reflect on our shared loss and learn more about how you can get involved to support community members experiencing gender-based violence.
WE COUNT FEMICIDE BECAUSE:
Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals are at an increased risk and experience disproportionate levels of gender-based violence.
Every life lost to femicide tears a hole in the fabric of our communities. We honour their lives and commit to making change to prevent future femicides.
Naming men’s violence as the problem is part of the change we need to make as a society. We can’t change it if we can’t name it.
For every femicide, there are more survivors who are not safe in their homes, workplaces, and communities. We can do more to reach out and support them. We can engage their intimate partners, family members, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances to end the violence.
Femicides occur across the lifespan, and femicides against older women in Ontario are on the rise. On the most recent Ontario Femicide List published by OAITH, the youngest victim is 8 and the oldest 88, with femicide victims over the age of 55 representing 21% of all victims (OAITH 2021-2022 Femicide List Press Release).
WE CAN CHANGE THE OUTCOMES
There is no commitment to prevention in Ontario or Canada. For 20 years domestic homicide death reviews and Coroner Inquests have provided recommendations that can move us toward prevention. It is time to review our progress and invest in the evidence to see stronger social returns. There are successes to build on. There are experts and advocates in every community who can help.
WE MUST DO BETTER
Most murders are preventable. “We Count Femicide Because” it is intended to mark the tragic loss of each life, to raise a public alarm, and to engage everyone in working together toward prevention. Professionals, coworkers, neighbours, friends, and family members can learn to recognize the warning signs and how to respond safely and supportively. It is a call to action to prevent future deaths. Ask us what you can do to contribute.
Haldimand & Norfolk Justice for Women Review Team
