Barriers facing women in cultural communities make it difficult to leave abusive partners, advocates say
The death of the woman in Park Extension has again raised calls for action — calls that are all the more important for women in the cultural communities.
Many of them face linguistic and cultural barriers that make it even more difficult for them to seek help before it’s too late.
The latest killing of a woman allegedly at the hands of her partner has shocked so many, especially those in Montreal's South Asian community. Police are still looking for the victim’s husband, Navdeep Ghotra, 30, who is the main suspect.
The coordinator at the South Asia Women's Community Centre says more work needs to be done to help women who are newcomers to Canada.
"Because the women can't communicate so police don't understand why police have been called and sometimes men take the charge and he's acting like an interpreter for the woman, who has called the police," said Ghazala Munawar.
The non-profit tries to educate women about the cycle of violence. They translate resources and offer language classes — just a few tools that can help women navigate the system and escape abuse.
"It's different back home for certain people. there's no place to go for a woman and she knows this is it, this is her fate she has to accept it," said Juvaria Yasser, the centre’s manager.
"But, in Canada, there's options. Many women don't know that."
Monday night’s slaying is believed to be the 14th femicide in Quebec this year.
In May, the province announced more funding to fight domestic violence, including additional surveillance for offenders, specialized police units and prosecutors for domestic violence cases.
Those who work with survivors of abuse say the added support is welcome, but much more is needed for prevention and for keeping a woman safe in the months after she leaves an abusive partner
"There is a tendency for murders, there's a tendency for violent acts to be committed upon her children — a crucial period where abusers often find a way back into the victim's life," said Melpa Kamateros, executive director of Montreal’s Shield of Athena.
"There's a lot of financial dependency there, there’s fear for the children, there's pervasive fear for how she can do it on her own."
That's where the community can play such an important role, according to Shennel Hunte, a peer support volunteer & board member of Women Aware.
"If you're a neighbour and you see something or hear something, it's not the time now to say, "Well, it's none of my business,'" Hunte said.
"It's the time to call the police because you don't know if you're saving someone's life."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.