Hon. Elizabeth Hubley:

Honourable senators, November 25 marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In 1999, the United Nations designated November 25 each year as a day to organize activities to raise public awareness of the problem of violence against women.

Violence against women is a global issue. Worldwide, at least one out of every three women has been a victim of abuse in her lifetime. Violence against women is perpetuated in public and at home, by strangers and family members. In Canada, in 2006, women made up 87 per cent of the victims of partner assaults that required police intervention. In 2003, a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the cost of intimate partner violence in the U.S. alone exceeds $5.8 billion each year. This pandemic devastates lives, families and communities at an enormous cost.

Violence against women is a pervasive violation of human rights and impedes women's opportunities to achieve legal, social, political and economic equality in society. On November 25, we raise awareness for an issue that we must continue to address each day.

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