Advocates at the UBCM conference urged municipal leaders and election candidates to respond meaningfully to intimate partner violence and end practices that they say minimize or delay help.
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Dozens of advocates and frontline workers gathered Thursday at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference to press municipal leaders and candidates to take concrete action to address intimate partner violence.
The meeting comes as municipalities prepare for an election, with organizers framing the moment as a test of whether officials will treat intimate partner violence as a public safety priority rather than an issue deferred until after polls close.
Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services, said the conference provides an opportunity for greater accountability among mayors, councils and candidates. She argued that candidates must decide whether they will act on the issue or continue to dismiss it.
Advocates described what they call the “downplay effect,” referring to cases where intimate partner violence is minimized by police and government officials, delaying appropriate responses. Lynne Stuart, executive director of the Omineca Safe Home Society, said that dismissiveness has been present in her community of Vanderhoof.
Stuart said she was told to wait until after an election before making a presentation to council about intimate partner violence. She characterized the delay as overt rather than subtle, arguing that postponing such discussions can prevent timely planning and support for survivors.
A central theme was that fragmented decision-making across jurisdictions can slow intervention, with advocates saying delays can carry life-or-death consequences. They argued that intimate partner violence requires coordinated pathways that do not stop at municipal or policing boundaries.
One example cited by advocates involved Laura Gover, a Saanich woman who was found dead in her home despite having a protection order. Her ex-partner has been charged with second-degree murder, which advocates pointed to as part of a broader argument for faster, better-coordinated safety measures.
Advocates also said Greater Victoria’s service structure creates additional complications. Victoria Women’s Transition House executive director Bahar Dehnadi said the region includes 13 municipalities and six police forces, which can make it difficult to determine which department is responsible when violence occurs across community lines.
According to Dehnadi, the challenge can arise when a client’s prior residence differs from where the violence took place, complicating which agency should respond. She described these jurisdictional complexities as factors that make support and coordination harder in a multi-municipality area.
With a municipal election approaching, advocates said they will monitor whether candidates follow through on commitments made during the current period. They framed the goal as sustained action after election results, rather than short-term statements before ballots are cast.
The UBCM conference setting underscores that advocates are focusing on municipal responsibilities and influence, including how local governments engage with police and community organizations, and how they support policies and planning aimed at reducing intimate partner violence across communities in British Columbia.
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