Standing Strong: Ending Violence Against Women in Rural Nova Scotia
Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we remember those lost to gender-based violence and recommit ourselves to building a safer world. In Canada, at least one woman is killed by violence every two days. In rural Nova Scotia, where tight-knit communities and natural resource-based economies shape life, the threat to women-identifying people can feel even more urgent.
The Rural Reality
Rural Nova Scotia's economy has long been built on natural resources—fishing, forestry, and farming. These industries have shaped not just jobs but also the values, norms, and expectations of rural communities. Historically, these sectors have reinforced strong gender norms: ideas about what men and women should do, how they should act, and where they belong. While women's roles in these industries are growing and evolving, the traditional male-dominated culture can still dominate how communities operate.
Stress Amplifies Danger
When stress hits—economic hardship, job loss, climate disasters like wildfires—these rigid gender norms can become dangerous. Research shows that women in rural Nova Scotia face real barriers when seeking help after experiencing violence: fear of stigma in tight-knit communities, long distances to support services, fragmented access to police and healthcare, and sometimes victim-blaming. When economic pressure and uncertainty mount, violence in homes can intensify.
Support and Action Needed
There is hope. Community organizations like transition houses, local non-profits, and the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute are working to support survivors and hold abusers accountable. Nova Scotia's Ministers' Table on Gender-Based Violence is coordinating cross-sector action. Yet these organizations need adequate funding and support to reach women in the most isolated areas.
What We Can Do
Breaking cycles of violence means transforming the values that enable it. In rural Nova Scotia, that means challenging rigid gender norms, supporting women's economic independence, and believing survivors when they speak up. Every one of us—in families, workplaces, churches, and community groups—can help create cultures where all women are safe, valued, and free.
Violence against women is not inevitable. Together, we can build rural Nova Scotia where women thrive, without fear.
Call to action: with Giving Tuesday just around the corner (Dec2), please donate to one of the many groups working to end gender-based violence in Nova Scotia. Check out 211 for a non-comprehensive list of organizations and initiatives.
