Behind Closed Doors – Launch Event

Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 14, 2025 for Behind Closed Doors: Uncovering Intimate Partner & Familial Femicide, hosted by Aura Freedom in observance of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week 2025.

There’s so much we don’t see behind closed doors.

In Canada, a woman is killed every two days—most often by a man she shares a home with. Our event brought together survivors, experts, advocates, and community members to confront the emergency of femicide in Canada and ignite vital conversations around prevention and systemic change.

Highlights from the day included:

• The unveiling of our Behind Closed Doors campaign including our pink door installation and other campaign art
• Meaningful networking with survivors, artists, feminist activists, and community advocates
• A thought-provoking panel discussion with experts Jaspreet Gill (York Region Centre for Community Safety), Deepa Mattoo (Barbra Schlifer Clinic & DVDRC), and Colette Martin, moderated by our Executive Director, Marissa Kokkoros
• Honest dialogue about how femicide is portrayed in the media and what needs to change
• The re-launch of our online femicide resource hub: aurafreedom.org/femicide
• Community building and knowledge-sharing

We’re deeply grateful to our speakers for their courage and commitment to ending femicide in Canada, and to the community that continues to show up, stand in solidarity, and push for justice. Your voices, presence, and advocacy are invaluable.

As a powerful next step in the campaign, we invite everyone to participate in our public Call to Action during Doors Open Toronto (May 24–25). While city buildings open their doors, we’re asking you to open doors to dialogue. Please attach the purple ribbon you received at the event to your front door as a sign of solidarity and a spark for conversation.