When Violence Ends a Life: The Reality of Femicide and Its Ripple Effect
- Nada Johnson
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
When Home Becomes the Most Dangerous Place
This November, as we observe Women’s Abuse Awareness Month and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we are reminded of the urgent and ongoing crisis facing women across Canada.
Recently, a devastating story in Ontario captured national attention. A mother of four was killed by her ex-boyfriend, who then abducted her one-year-old daughter before being fatally shot by police (New York Post, 2025). Behind this single story are the countless lives shattered by violence: children left without their mother, families torn apart, and communities mourning yet another preventable tragedy.
Femicide doesn’t just end one life. It destabilizes many.
The Stark Reality of Femicide in Canada
While it’s tempting to think of femicide as rare, the data tells another story.
➡️ Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 102 women and girls were killed every year in Canada because of their gender (Women and Gender Equality Canada, 2024).
➡️ 93% of these killings were committed by a male intimate partner or family member.
➡️ In 2021 alone, 104 women and girls lost their lives — a rate of 0.54 per 100,000 Canadians (Statistics Canada, 2024).
➡️ Rural regions continue to experience higher rates of femicide due to isolation and limited access to resources.
➡️ Nearly every case is preceded by coercive control — patterns of surveillance, financial control, and emotional domination that too often go unnoticed until they turn lethal (Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime, 2023).
These statistics are not just numbers; they are reminders that gender-based violence remains a pervasive and preventable crisis in our communities.
The Hidden Toll on Women’s Mental Health
Long before physical violence begins, coercive control slowly erodes a woman’s mental and emotional well-being.
It often looks like love at first: Checking in, offering help, wanting to be close, until it becomes isolation, criticism, and control.
Over time, survivors experience:
🌿 Persistent anxiety and hypervigilance
🌿 Depression, low self-worth, and shame
🌿 Difficulty sleeping or trusting others
🌿 Post-traumatic stress symptoms long after leaving the relationship
Gender-based violence affects more than the body; it reshapes how women see themselves, their safety, and the world around them.
The Children They Leave Behind
When a mother is killed, her children inherit invisible wounds that last a lifetime.
Research shows that children exposed to violence, even before tragedy, often experience anxiety, grief, and emotional dysregulation (Amato, 2010). After a femicide, the trauma deepens. Many struggle with guilt (“Could I have stopped it?”), fear, and difficulty forming secure attachments.
A child’s world is built around safety and connection. When that foundation is violently taken away, healing becomes a lifelong journey.
Children don’t just lose their mother, they lose their sense of home, stability, and belonging.
Why Awareness Must Lead to Action
Femicide is not a private matter between two people — it is a public health emergency. Each woman lost represents a failure in prevention, awareness, and coordinated response.
At Nada Johnson Consulting & Counselling Services (NJCCS), we are committed to both healing and systemic change.
Through trauma-informed therapy, safety planning, and family-centred counselling, I help survivors and families rebuild stability and trust.
Our work also extends beyond therapy; NJCCS partners with community organizations, government bodies, and academic institutions to research gender-based violence, including:
✅ Literature reviews and evidence-based reports
✅ Community needs assessments
✅ Survivor-informed interviews and focus groups
✅ Data collection and analysis
✅ Research-informed program development
✅ Policy recommendations and presentations
Because ending violence against women requires more than compassion, it requires evidence, advocacy, and collective accountability.
Moving Forward Together
Every woman lost to femicide reminds us why prevention matters. We honour their memory by building systems that listen, protect, and empower survivors, and by ensuring that the next generation learns that love should never be rooted in control or fear.
If you or someone you know is living with coercion, fear, or violence, please reach out for help. Healing and safety are possible.
With warmth,
Nada Johnson, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist / trained Family Mediator / EMDR Trained Therapist / Certified Racial Trauma Clinician / Mental Health & Sexual Violence Consultant / Professional Speaker
🌍 Website: www.nadajohnsonservices.com
📩 Contact: info@nadajohnsonservices.com
Nada Johnson Consulting & Counselling Services – Online phone and video sessions available
Village Healing Centre: 240 Roncesvalles Avenue
Please share this post to raise awareness that femicide is not an isolated act, it’s a preventable tragedy we must confront together. 💙
References
Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00723.x
Government of Canada, Department for Women and Gender Equality. (2024, March 8). Facts and stats – Gender-based violence. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/facts-stats.html
Statistics Canada. (2023, November 21). Trends in police-reported family and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2022. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231121/dq231121b-eng.htm
Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime. (2023, March 1). Understanding coercive control in the context of intimate partner violence. https://www.canada.ca/en/office-federal-ombudsperson-victims-crime/publications/research-recherche/ucc-ccc.html
New York Post. (2025, October 22). Young mom of 4 shot dead by ex-boyfriend who kidnapped 1-year-old daughter before he was killed by cop. https://nypost.com/2025/10/22/world-news/young-mom-of-4-shot-dead-by-ex-boyfriend-who-kidnapped-1-year-old-daughter-before-he-was-killed-by-cop/
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