Beyond the Declaration: A Community Call to Action on Intimate Partner Violence 

Join community members, survivors, advocates, service providers, municipal leaders, and partners for Beyond the Declaration: A Community Call to Action on Intimate Partner Violence, a public gathering in response to the devastating femicide that occurred in Barrie on June 20, 2026. 

This event will create space to acknowledge grief, honour lives impacted by gender-based violence, and move together toward hope, accountability, and meaningful action. Intimate partner violence and gender-based violence are not private issues; they are urgent community safety issues that require coordinated public response, sustained investment, and survivor-informed solutions. 

Recent declarations recognizing intimate partner violence as an epidemic by Simcoe County, Barrie, and municipalities across Ontario are important milestones. But declarations alone do not prevent violence. Action saves lives. 

Hosted by Huronia Transition Homes/Athena’s Assault Centre and the Barrie Women and Children’s Shelter, this community event will bring people together to demonstrate a united commitment to ending violence against women and gender-based violence across our region. 

We call on municipalities across Simcoe County to recognize gender-based violence as a core community safety issue and to incorporate measurable actions, accountability mechanisms, and survivor-informed approaches into Community Safety and Well-Being Plans. 

Safe communities require investment in prevention, housing, economic security, crisis response, and long-term supports for survivors and their families. Everyone has a role to play in building communities where women, children, and gender-diverse people can live free from violence. 

What to Expect