The case for women’s police stations in Canada

Star reporters Wendy Gillis and Alyshah Hasham talk with Adrian Cheung about how women’s police stations could work and how domestic violence remains an urgent public health problem, especially during the pandemic.

Canada continues to grapple with a long-standing and disturbing trend of gender-based violence. Canada’s Minister for Women and Gender Equity Maryam Monsef calls the current pandemic, a “powder keg” for domestic violence, as victims remain trapped at home. One possible solution that experts say has worked in other countries is creating police stations for women—a place that focuses on supporting potential victims, rather than taking in accused offenders. It would also create a re-thinking of how police stations operate—and who they serve. Could a system like that create safer spaces in Canada?

If you—or someone you know—is at risk of violence, Wendy and Alyshah have put together a resource guide for getting help.

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