Shattering the Silence

Event Summary

Acquired brain injury (ABI) in Canada is a pressing and under-recognized public health crisis—occurring 44 times more often than spinal cord injuries, 30 times more than breast cancer, and 400 times more than HIV/AIDS. Alarmingly, ABI rates surpass the combined annual incidence of Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, HIV/AIDS, and Breast Cancer. These statistics become even more staggering when considering the high rates of brain injury among women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV).

IPV impacts 1 in 3 women in Canada, with 90% of incidents involving blows to the head or neck, strangulation, or other trauma—resulting in brain injury for an estimated 75–92% of survivors. Strangulation alone is one of the strongest predictors of future fatality and elevates the risk of stroke.

As economic uncertainty, job insecurity, and substance use rise, so do incidents of IPV and associated brain injuries. Despite the severity and frequency, brain injuries related to IPV remain critically understudied, underdiagnosed, and misunderstood—especially when compounded by trauma, addictions, mental health challenges, disability, and poverty.

This event aims to bring together community leaders, researchers, police, service providers, survivors, and advocates to share new data, ongoing projects, and lived experiences that shed light on this urgent issue. Together, we aim to mobilize knowledge, highlight connections amongst work in the field, and forge pathways for a future in which survivors are believed, supported, and resourced.

By fostering collaboration and dialogue, we seek to inform, inspire, and empower—creating momentum for systemic change and a safer, more responsive community for all.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kim Stanton

In Dr. Stanton’s recent report Independant Systemic Review: The British Columbia Legal System’s Treatment of Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence, her Recommendation 1 is that the BC government declare GBV an epidemic. What does that mean for all of us? Hear more about how acknowledging systemic barriers to survivors of intimate partner violence and brain injury align with our collective approach for collaborative, wrap-around strategies and initiatives that better inform our systems and processes. This event is about building stronger momentum toward action in addressing this epidemic.