The Need for Inclusivity Within Domestic Violence Services

Marlihan Lopez, co-founding member for the coalition to Defund the Police and coordinator at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute discusses the need of investing on survivor-centered, trauma informed services that accountable and inclusive of all survivors and do not rely on anti-carceral responses to addressing gender based violence.

She also says there is a need for more inclusivity for BIPOC and trans survivors within the domestic violence services in Montreal and the need for accountability.

Accountability, she says, will not be found with the use of police or prisons, as she says these further trauma for many, but Lopez promotes and anti-carceral approach to accountability for domestic violence. She says prisons are a neo-liberal approach to accountability, which does not promote healing for domestic violence survivors.

Lopez says many survivors, including Black Indigenous People of Colour (BIPOC) and transgendered folks feel excluded from the services that are already exist in Montreal, but she is looking to change that. Lopez is currently working on creating services for domestic violence survivors in Montreal North that are "by and for", so by survivors for all survivors. 

This interview was used for the previous episode of Local 514, which looks at the rise in domestic violence in Quebec during the pandemic and the barriers survivors face in escaping these situations. Within 8 weeks, 8 women have died from domestic violence in Quebec. Femicides are generally seen at much lower rates provincially. On average, Quebec records 12 femicides per year. Currently the amount of femicides in 2021 are at 10, with a death just days ago in the South Shore. To watch the full episode click here.