Nova Scotia Justice Minister displayed profound ignorance of Gender-Based Violence; should resign – CUPE NS President

For Immediate Release

(Halifax) CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen says Minister Brad Johns should resign from his position after stating publicly that intimate partner violence is not an epidemic in the province.

“Gender-based violence is absolutely an epidemic in Nova Scotia and in Canada at large,” McFadgen said. “It is happening at home, it is happening in public, and it is happening at work.”

According to a recent survey, 48% of women CUPE Nova Scotia members said they’d experienced Gender-Based Violence in their lifetime, and 30% said they’d experienced it at work.

“Combined with the minister’s comments, these statistics show that the epidemic of Gender-Based Violence has become normalized in Nova Scotia; it’s the status quo,” McFadgen said. “We need political leaders who will actively challenge this, not reinforce it. No one should have to live under the threat of violence.”

CUPE Nova Scotia represents more than 22,000 public sector workers in Nova Scotia, the majority of whom are women.

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Media inquiries: Mary-Dan Johnston CUPE Atlantic Communications Representative mjohnston@cupe.ca

902-412-5780