Motion looks to create gender-based violence task force in Vancouver

Vancouver city councillors will be discussing a motion this week to develop a gender-based violence prevention strategy and task force.

The proposed strategy was introduced by Councillor Rebecca Bligh and aims to establish a task force made up of police and survivors of gender-based violence.

The motion is encouraging for advocates; however, they say meaningful action is needed.

Angela Marie MacDougall with the Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) says while the motion is a starting point, it is not the solution to gender-based violence.

“I met with the mayor to say to him very clearly that awareness alone would not keep women and girls safe, and that we needed a coordinated municipal action plan,” said MacDougall

She says awareness alone does not solve the problem, but the task f