In the mid-1990s, the Crown Attorney’s Office, Windsor Police, and Hiatus House worked together to make a plan, or a Domestic Violence Protocol, to help stop domestic violence in the Windsor-Essex area.

Later, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, two women in Ontario, Arlene May and Gillian Hadley, were sadly killed by their partners. These men had a history of being violent but were still let out of jail under rules that were supposed to protect the women, but tragically escalated to femicides. After both passing’s, special investigations known as coroner inquests were done, and they gave advice on how to stop this from happening again.

In 2009, the Domestic Violence Advisory Council asked for special groups called Coordinating Committees to be implemented across Ontario. These community based groups, including the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committees (VAWCCs), focus on working collaboratively to improve responses to violence against women, like Intimate Partner Violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

In Windsor and Essex County, the VAWCCWE is one of these committees. It is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and led by a Coordinator and an Executive Committee. It now has around 35 members from 28 local organizations. They meet four times a year to plan and take action.

There is also a working group that handles important jobs like planning and advocacy. A Leadership Table, made up of local leaders, helps guide the group and make decisions.

The group has been successful with sharing information, teaching the public, and speaking up for change. In the future, they want to build an even stronger team effort and fix areas, or fill the gaps, that are still missing support for women facing violence.