A year after Peel Region declared domestic violence an epidemic, advocates warn cases continue to rise.

The numbers are concerning, said Sharon Mayne, CEO of Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin, which runs the Safe Center of Peel.

The centre, based in Brampton, is a collective of 24 partner agencies who work collaboratively to support survivors of domestic violence. And last year, the organization saw a 270 percent increase in the number of women who walked through its doors without a referral.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2022, 59 percent of female homicides in the country were due to domestic violence.

“We’re talking about very large numbers,” Mayne said.

“It’s really important for women to know that they’re not alone, that they’re not the only ones going through this, that there are a lot of women and a lot of families that are struggling with this issue.”

The Safe Center of Peel is among the organizations and communities across Ontario that recognize each November as Violence Against Women Prevention Month.

Safe Center services include crisis and high-risk case management, system navigation, housing assistance, multicultural services, legal support, parental support and child welfare, all under one roof.

“A woman visiting only needs to remember the name of one person, and that is her navigator,” Mayne said.

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The Peel Children’s Aid Society (CAS) is also on the front lines of the crisis. Its CEO says domestic violence is the leading reason for referrals to his organization, accounting for about a third of all referrals and 58 percent of police referrals.

“In 2022-2023 we were at 29 percent and last year we went to 36 percent,” said CEO Mary Beth Moellenkamp.

“We know this is a growing concern for the children and families we serve and we also know that keeping children safe means keeping women safe,” she said .

Year over year, she said, domestic violence referrals also continue to increase in risk and severity.

Moellenkamp says Peel CAS has developed a domestic violence strategy to support families experiencing violence. Key elements of the strategy include building capacity within the agency, improving support services for survivors and engaging fathers who have perpetrated violence.

The Safe Center has announced plans to expand to a second location in Mississauga, co-locating with Peel CAS in its building. The move was in part a response to the large number of women in Mississauga who need services but have difficulty accessing transportation to Brampton.

“Having a space where women can come in and tell their story just once helps keep them safe, but also alleviates some of the trauma they’ve been exposed to,” Moellenkamp said.

The new center is expected to open in June 2025.

Deepa Mattoo, executive director and lawyer at the Toronto-based Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, applauds the expansion.

“It’s wonderful to see that there’s another collaboration between various organizations,” Mattoo said, adding that it’s important that Women’s Abuse Prevention Month is recognized and discussed every year.

“It’s somber but festive,” Mattoo said.

“It’s dark because we know women are dying as we speak…but at the same time it’s a celebration because we’re saying we don’t accept that, and we’re willing to acknowledge that as a problem and to fight until every woman is healed.”

She hopes it will also encourage the public to learn about domestic violence.

“Learn about the experience of violence,” she said. “It’s not just physical and it’s not just psychological, it’s much deeper than that.”

Mattoo says she hopes the growing number of resources available will help people experiencing violence feel less alone.

“We want you to take your time, but also know that your life, your own safety, is the most important thing,” she said.

Hotline for women who have been assaulted: 1.866.863.0511