A Victoria vigil on Monday mourns the murders of 15 women killed by men in the province so far this year.
This marks the first time the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter is holding the vigil on Vancouver Island, targeting the B.C. Legislature to push the province into action, said Hilla Kerner, one of the organizers.
“Half of the women who were killed this year were killed by their current or ex male partner,” Kerner told Victoria News.
During previous vigils, the organization has told stories of women affected by violence to put a face to the tragedy.
Vanessa Terry of the Sq’ewqel (Seabird Island) First Nation was a 33-year-old mother of three killed on April 6.
The RCMP Integrated Homicide Investigation Team led the investigation in collaboration with Agassiz RCMP, the BC Coroners Service and the RCMP Integrated Forensic Identification Services.
On Sept. 5, Frederick Paul Charlie, 36, was charged with second-degree murder.
“Incidents of intimate partner violence are tragic and have devastating, long-lasting effects on families and communities,” Corporal Chase Smith of IHIT said in a news release at the time.
The Vancouver-based shelter is asking the provincial government to do more to protect women from violent repeat offenders.
“Many women will not bother going to police knowing that even if he is arrested, he will be immediately released and it will escalate his violence,” Kerner said.
Lobbying this summer included a July letter to Premier David Eby and Attorney General Niki Sharma to create "real measures" to protect women in B.C.
If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence and in immediate danger, call 911.
Other resources include VictimsLinkBC toll-free at 1-800-563-0808 or by email at VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca.
– with files from Anna Burns/Surrey News-Leader
