A nation in crisis: Rising femicide and violence demand urgent action
Shining a LightIn the span of just one week, Canada has been shaken by multiple homicides linked to interpersonal violence, highlighting the need for immediate intervention to address the growing epidemic of violence.
In Saskatchewan, tragedy struck on August 24 when a woman and a man whose names have not been released, were murdered in separate incidents. Kristopher Kyle Soby, 39, has been charged with the woman’s murder, while 35-year-old Lauren Besse faces charges in the man’s death. These tragedies follow the killing of Keilia Windigo, who was shot and killed at her 18th birthday party on August 18. A 17-year-old male has been charged in her death. On the same day, 24-year-old Terrance Tony-Kishayinew died from severe injuries at a home on Yellow Quill First Nation. Police have charged 26-year-old Cole Smokeyday with second-degree murder in connection with her death.
Next door in Manitoba, four lives were claimed in a murder-suicide. On August 16, Marlon Glover, who had a protection order against him, forced his way into his former partner’s home. She managed to escape, but Glover went to a nearby home and killed her parents and brother before taking his own life. This horrific act of intimate partner violence comes just months after another family was devastated by violence in Manitoba. In February, 30-year-old Amanda Clearwater, her three children, and her niece were allegedly murdered by 29-year-old Ryan Manoakeesick, who now faces five first-degree murder charges.
In Ontario, a woman was found murdered in her apartment in Guelph on August 17. The accused, 50-year-old Juan Lemus-Galdamez, has been charged with second-degree murder.
“All of these crimes, committed by individuals who knew their victims, have occurred within a single week,” said Kerrie Isaac, executive director of Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan. “Eight people have lost their lives at the hands of someone close to them — individuals who were determined to inflict maximum harm, regardless of the cost.”
The alarming statistics in Canada reveal a grim reality. According to Statistics Canada, between 2019 and 2022, 14 percent of solved homicides in Canada involved intimate partners. This year, 37 percent of solved murders targeted female victims killed by family members, with nearly half by intimate partners. From 2014 to 2019, 497 people were victims of intimate partner homicide in Canada and 80 percent of those victims were women.
“Nearly half of all murders of women and girls are committed by an intimate partner,” Isaac said. “These numbers are shocking, and they demand action. When will we, as a country, say ‘enough is enough’ and take real steps to end this epidemic of violence?”
SASS member agency, North East Outreach and Support Services (NEOSS), is outraged by the escalating violence against women, which has reached crisis levels. This epidemic demands immediate, decisive action from everyone.
“Our organization tirelessly provides essential shelter and support in the North East region of Saskatchewan. Yet, we are overwhelmed,” said Joan Bear, executive director at NEOSS. “Our Emergency Women’s Shelter was full from April to July, with over 225 women and children on a waitlist — an unsustainable situation that highlights the dire need for more resources. Our Outreach Department served 161 women and 7 men in the same quarter. The needs are real.”
Isaac and Bear highlight that far too many women are losing their lives to preventable violence. Women and girls in Saskatchewan need immediate access to services and support that will help them escape abusive and violent relationships and stay safe after leaving.
“The most dangerous time for an abuse survivor is when they leave their abuser, with 77 percent of intimate partner violence-related homicides occurring upon separation,” Isaac noted. “Violence increases by 75 percent after separation and can persist for at least two years.”
“Our women demand increased funding and support from all levels of government to combat this urgent crisis. Rural communities are especially vulnerable, suffering from isolation and a chronic lack of resources,” said Bear. “The time for words is over. We must act now to protect women and uphold their safety and dignity.”
Now is the time for governments at all levels and communities across the country to stand up and take action. While the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence announced last fall is a step in the right direction, women and girls in Saskatchewan and across Canada need more — now.
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Media contact:
Tal Marsolais
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist
tal@sassk.ca 306.757.1941
Recommended resources
Find National and Provincial Crisis Lines here
Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS)