A coalition from 50 women’s shelters and safe houses across Quebec plans to rally outside the National Assembly in Quebec City on Tuesday morning, urging stronger measures against conjugal violence. This action follows a threefold increase in intimate partner violence reports over the past decade and the recent death of another woman last week. Authorities have yet to classify her death as a homicide linked to conjugal violence, but confirmation would mark her as the sixth such victim in the province this year.
Rising Demand Overwhelms Resources
Support lines, women’s shelters, and provincial police report a sharp rise in calls related to conjugal violence over the past year. Frontline workers assisting victims highlight the urgent need for expanded resources amid exploding demand. Shelters struggle with capacity shortages, unable to meet the growing calls for help.
Key Demands Ahead of Provincial Budget
The Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale, which represents shelters in nearly every Quebec region, will submit a list of demands to political representatives. The push addresses budgetary shortfalls that threaten women’s health and safety. Specific requests include $57 million in stable, recurring funding over three years to ensure equitable support across all facilities and achieve pay equity for staff.
“Shelters are not a luxury; they are a safety net and an essential service for all women and girls,” the organization states on its website. It criticizes recent provincial budgets from 2023 to 2025 for overlooking the critical needs of help centers, despite their profound human and social impact.
Protest Details and Symbolic Rally
Organizers describe Tuesday’s 11:30 a.m. demonstration as a silent rally featuring silhouettes of women and children to underscore conjugal violence’s toll. The event, held in front of the National Assembly, will feature direct presentations of demands to representatives from various political parties.
Resources for Victims
In cases of immediate danger, dial 911. Those affected by family or intimate partner violence can access crisis lines and local support services for assistance.
