Content note: this episode addresses gender-based violence and femicide.

On September 22, 2015, Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam were murdered by their former partner in Renfrew County, Ontario. Three lives were taken on one day. And friends, family, and neighbours were left grappling with the pain of it.

On June 28, 2022, a jury at the inquest into these women’s deaths recommended that the province declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. And with the help of grant from the Canadian Women’s Foundation, End Violence Against Women (EVA) Renfrew County was able to work with legal experts and hold community consultations to make sure the voices of people in the County were included in the inquest. This is a stunning example of systemic change work that happens with grants from Canadian Women’s Foundation, all due to generous donors and partners who give toward gender justice.

Feminist lawyer Pamela Cross joins us, a well-known and respected expert on violence against women and the law for her work as a researcher, writer, educator and trainer. She works with women’s equality and violence against women organizations across Ontario. One of her key roles is as the Legal Director of Luke’s Place Support and Resource Centre in Durham Region, where she leads the organization’s provincial projects, including research, training and advocacy. Pamela has also been a member of the teaching faculty with the National Judicial Institute, and continues to plan and deliver educational programs on violence against women to Canadian judges. 

Pamela is the 2020 recipient of the Corry Award from Queen’s Law, the 2019 recipient of the Laura Legge Award from the Law Society of Ontario and a 2015 recipient of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Award of Distinction for her work on the issue of violence against women. In 2006, she was awarded the YWCA Toronto Women of Distinction award for her work in the area of law reform. She is a frequent speaker at provincial, national and international conferences. She is also a regular commentator on violence against women and the law for print media, radio and television across Canada.

Read 86 Recommendations for change from the Renfrew County Inquest

Episode Transcript 

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