The Walsh family’s death had a ‘huge impact’ on the community and highlights the prevalence of intimate partner violence in Ontario
A mother and her two children were found dead in their home near Windsor, Ont., last month in what Ontario Provincial Police describe as a case of intimate partner violence, or IPV.
Carly Walsh and her two children, 13-year-old Madison and eight-year-old Hunter, were shot inside their home by Carly’s husband and the children’s father, 42-year-old Steven Walsh, who died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, the Essex County OPP Crime Unit confirmed in a statement on Saturday, according to CTV.
The Walsh family’s death had a “huge impact” on the community, according to Essex mayor Sherry Bondy, and highlights the prevalence of intimate partner violence in Ontario.
The death of the Walsh family is one of several instances of IPV that have shaken the province. In April, the provincial NDP proposed a bill to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. Bill 173 — the Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act was backed by the Ford government in a rare show of support for the opposition.
As legislators work out how to address the IPV epidemic, it’s worth becoming familiar with IPV, including its many different forms, signs and risk factors. Here’s what to know about IPV.
What is intimate partner violence?
A personal relationship is often defined by an emotional connection, which can involve ongoing physical contact or sexual behaviour. Partners can identify in several ways, such as a couple, spouse or partner.
While it is commonly referred to as dating violence or domestic violence, these terms also encompass violence in other types of relationships, including violence towards children or older adults. IPV includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychosocial abuse, financial abuse and neglect.
How common is intimate partner violence in Canada?
What are the risk factors for intimate partner violence?
IPV often continues and can escalate after separation. Forty five per cent of spousal violence victims reported abuse post-separation in 2019, with severity increasing for many. The risk of being killed by an ex-partner is highest around the time of separation.
Indigenous individuals, people with disabilities and sexual minorities face higher IPV rates and more severe abuse.
Indigenous women face significantly higher rates of physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse compared to non-Indigenous women. Women with disabilities and sexual minorities report higher IPV rates and more severe experiences.
What laws protect Canadians from intimate partner violence?
The latest protections are intended to improve the safety and support for victims of IPV by introducing more trauma- and violence-informed care measures and to fight the epidemic of intimate partner violence.
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