For Today, Just an Ask: In Memory of Laura Gover

A Camosun College colleague was murdered; her former spouse is under arrest and will be in court tomorrow.

Her seven-year-old and eleven-year-old daughters are bereft. Here’s the fundraising link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-laura-govers-daughter

This statement is from our local MLAs, Diana Gibson and Grace Lord, who are terrific:

“The death of Laura Gover is a devastating loss and a nightmare. It is shaking our community, and it should.

Home must be safe – safe for women, for moms, for their children. We continue to see women in our province and across the country suffer and lose their lives to men’s violence.

By all accounts, Laura did absolutely everything someone could to keep themselves safe from intimate partner violence, and it wasn’t enough.

Our hearts break for Laura’s family, friends, colleagues, and daughters, and our thoughts and love are also with those in our community who dedicate their lives and work to ending family, intimate-partner, and gender-based violence.

In her memory and for the other people we have lost, we commit to continue to fight for the safety of women, families and all victims of domestic violence, in our community and beyond.

This commitment is shared across government, including by our Attorney General, who pushed and fought hard for changes to the federal Criminal Code. If passed, changes will mean that intimate partner homicides, where there is a pattern of abusive control, would be classified as first-degree murder and tougher bail requirements.

Provincially, we’re responding to the Stanton report on gender-based violence and the justice system, focused on monitoring and strengthening risk assessment to better protect women.

We know there is more work to do, and we need to do it quickly.

We are committed to understanding what happened to Laura and her family, and where there are provincial changes that could keep women safer, we will push to see that change through.

From community supports and resources to advocating for the changes to our justice system, we must do the work to end femicide in our province.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family, intimate partner, or gender-based violence in our community or beyond, supports are available:
The Cridge Centre for the Family
Victoria Women’s Transition House
Victoria Sexual Assault Centre
Intimate Images Protection Service
Ending Violence Association of BC
BC Society of Transition Houses
Legal Aid BC”