Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the committee. Thank you for inviting us today to speak on this serious issue.

Our association represents 46 help centres and shelters for women who are victims of domestic violence. These shelters are situated all over Quebec. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 20 femicides in Quebec, 12 of which were committed by an intimate partner.

Domestic violence, also known as coercive control, is a social problem linked to relationships of inequality that have long existed between men and women. It is this type of domineering relationship, which some men fundamentally subscribe to, that leads to domestic violence and, ultimately, femicide. Fortunately, there are solutions to combat violence against women. Here are a few.

One is training. In Canada, as elsewhere, women are most likely to be murdered at the hands of a current or former partner. Contrary to popular belief, intimate partner femicides are among the most predictable murders. Also contrary to popular belief is the fact that femicides are not necessarily preceded by physical violence. However, coercive control is systematically present and is at the heart of violence. Surveillance through technology, harassment, isolation, jealousy and threats, among others, which are all manifestations of coercive control and continue beyond a breakup, are red-flag precursors to femicide.

A good risk assessment ensures that a safety net is in place before femicide occurs. It is therefore essential that workers from legal, health and social services, who are often on the frontline dealing with abused women and children, be trained and equipped to properly recognize and assess the risks. To do so, governments must provide the necessary financial resources for training to be offered to all these stakeholders. It would also be useful for the government to take stock of the tools and practices that exist to assess the risks associated with domestic violence and to determine best practices in this area.

Another solution would be to criminalize coercive control. Better protection for women and children would require the passage of Bill C‑332, which criminalizes coercive control. It would send a strong message to victims that more subtle but equally devastating forms of violence and control are now recognized by the justice system. This would have the effect of speeding up training on assessing the risk of spousal homicide for anyone working with female victims of domestic violence. If the bill is passed, police will be able to document coercive control and prosecutors will be able to take it into account throughout the prosecution. We urge the Senate and the government to pass Bill C‑332.

I'll now turn it over to my colleague.

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