06/10/2026
Every 6 days in Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner. Yet the silent epidemic of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) caused by intimate partner violence (IPV) remains almost invisible to the public.
At a recent conference, frontline advocates, medical experts, and legal professionals highlighted exactly how deeply systemic gaps fail survivors, realities our team witnesses firsthand.
From the unseen, life-threatening neurological damage of strangulation to a criminal justice system that often weaponizes the clinical symptoms of a TBI (like memory gaps) to deem survivors “unreliable,” the barriers to safety and justice are massive.
With police responding to over 38 000 provincial IPV incidents a year, we must completely dismantle the victim-blaming narrative. Stop asking survivors “why didn’t you just leave?” and start asking what systemic and community barriers we can collectively remove to help them escape safely.
IPV is an epidemic. Change starts by refusing to default to disbelief, and ensuring survivors have immediate access to safe, trauma-informed support. You are not alone, and we are here to help. 💓
