‘We are committed to making this community safer for women’: community organizations meet to discuss the local impact of homicide


Local organizations have come together to discuss the impact a recent homicide in the city has had on women experiencing gender-based violence.

Jessie Rodger, the executive director of Anova, a charitable non-profit which offers shelter for abused women and children co-chairs at a recurring meeting with about 40 different organizations in the area.

This week, several organizations committed to helping women, discussed the impact of the case involving a man who was charged with second-degree murder after a homicide in the north end of the city.

“Officers arrived on scene and located a female within the residence who was deceased,” says Const. Travis Buckle of the London Police Service (LPS). “An adult male was taken into custody in relation to the incident.”

Police confirmed the victim was known to the accused and neighbors told CTV News it was the man’s wife.

The neighbors next door described the victim as a mom with a friendly demeanor who had a passion for gardening.

“While it was absolutely shocking, it fits in with what’s happening in our community right now,” said Rodger.

Gender-based violence is being called the “shadow pandemic” that organizations such as Anova and London’s Abused Women’s Center (LAWC) are saying has escalated over the last few years.

Jennifer Dunn is executive director of the LAWC, which provides long-term counseling and support to women and girls over the age of 12 who have been abused by a partner, sexually assaulted, sexually harassed or exploited.

“We need to talk about this. We need to let women know that they’re not alone,” said Dunn. “Femicide is preventable and it should not happen.”

According to Anova, every nine days a woman or child in Ontario was killed in a femicide-realted incident in 2020.

In light of Friday’s tragedy, the organization put out a statement asking people to “pause and reflect on our shared loss. For every femicide, more survivors are not safe in their homes, workplaces and communities.”

“I would hope that they know that there are many people in this city that are here to support them,” said Rodger. “So if that’s leaving an abusive situation or trying to make a safety plan or finding resources that they can stand on, whatever it is that they need.”

Rodger and Dunn both encourage women to seek help through their services. Anova is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Rodger.

The LAWC’s Assaulted Women’s Helpline is 1-866-863-0511


— With files from CTV London’s Brett Lale


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