Windsor-Essex and a growing number of area municipalities have recognized intimate partner violence (IPV) at a crisis level. IPV or gender-based violence (GBV) includes behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours. In support of the endorsed Windsor-Essex Board of Health Intimate Partner/Gender Based Violence Resolution (December, 2024), the WECHU has prioritized the prevention of IPV and promotion of healthy relationships as an area of focus for the Comprehensive Health Promotion Department. 

Statistics from the Windsor Police Service found that crimes against individuals increased by 13.7% in 2024 and that the increase is related to IPV. Between January-August 2024, Windsor Police responded to 2,573 IPV-related incidents – a 7.1% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, 37.7% of all crimes against people and 44.3% of all assaults reported in 2024 were related to IPV¹. Following a period of decline from 2009 to 2014, teen dating violence in Canada has also increased by 33% since 2015. Rates of sexual violence (SV) against teen girls are disproportionately high. In 2022, the rate of police-reported dating violence was about nine times higher for teenage girls than boys. More than four in ten (45%) Canadian teens report they have experienced dating violence since turning 15. Victims aged 15 to 17 are found to have higher rates of sexual violence in dating relationships than other forms of violence, and rates for this age group are higher than in all older age groups².

Best practice strategies known to prevent youth relationship violence at the individual, social, and population levels include providing skill development for maintaining non-violent intimate relationships by engaging youth and parents/caregivers, challenging social norms that support or condone gender-based violence, and offering school or community-based healthy relationship programmes. Specifically, increasing youth knowledge and skills for healthy relationships and sexual health enables positive health behaviours through life, and helps to prevent IPV or GBV. It also prevents and protects against unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted or bloodborne infections³. Comprehensive sexual health education is critical for social change by teaching young people GBV prevention skills and concepts (e.g., consent, communication in relationships, gender equity, identifying, challenging, and changing restrictive gender norms and attitudes that lead to GBV, etc.). It also increases awareness and understanding by learning to recognize GBV and understanding available supports for survivors of GBV⁴.

DISCUSSION

The WECHU Comprehensive Health Promotion Department is continuing with two priority projects in 2025 aimed to prevent youth relationship violence and IPV, and promote healthy relationships to youth and families: 

• Facilitating and supporting the work of the Windsor-Essex Youth Relationship Violence Prevention Community of Practice (COP).
• Working with the University of Windsor to pilot a sexual assault prevention program for girls in high needs schools (see associated March 2025 BOH Report). 

The COP was convened in 2024 following a WECHU-led community conversation to assess local needs and opportunities to prevent youth relationship violence. The event had 31 attendees representing 22 local organizations from various health, social and municipal services, schoolboards, and sexual assault support services. Organizations shared data and trends of knowledge and behaviours in our community, individuals most at risk, contributing risk factors at individual, community and social levels, and community assets. Overall, attendees agreed that youth relationship violence is underreported, threats are increasing in our community, and there is a lack of knowledge about these issues and where to get help.

As a next step, participants discussed potential actions to prevent youth relationship violence through education, awareness and community interventions. Unanimous support was given to convene a COP for this work. Following the event, a summary and a survey were sent to over 30 community partners to assess and rank the recommendations. A follow-up meeting was then held to prioritize actionable interventions for the COP. The following two projects were chosen, and two associated working groups were developed:

1. Youth Engagement: Create safe spaces for youth to connect with peers and community organizations for support and a sense of belonging, talk about healthy/unhealthy relationships, and build positive skills and behaviours.
2. Community Knowledge and Awareness: Increase knowledge and skills for prevention and early intervention of relationship violence, especially among parents and caregivers. Create learning opportunities regarding healthy/unhealthy relationships, consent, and conflict resolution skills.

The COP currently consists of over 80 members representing over 35 community partners. It holds quarterly meetings, and the working groups are actively undertaking initiatives to prevent youth relationship violence in our community. Current projects include: 

• Supporting Windsor-Essex Youth Symposium events and planning for future youth engagement opportunities with the Windsor-Essex Regional Crime Prevention Council.
• Increasing the capacity of youth-serving organizations to create safe spaces for youth by developing a youth-engagement model focused on knowledge and skill-building activities.
• Increasing awareness and building the capacity of parents/caregivers and other adults, youth, and newcomer families to prevent and provide early intervention for youth relationship violence.