When Devona Gibson stepped to the front of the room on OTS room at the Servus Sports Centre, she carried a message that was as heavy as it was urgent. Domestic violence is a huge problem across Alberta and Canada.
Gibson, who works in member support, programs and services for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, travelled to Lloydminster on Nov. 20 to speak with local service providers and meet with the community. She said the visit mattered because understanding each region’s challenges helps shelters and advocates respond to a crisis that has only deepened in recent years.
“It was important for us to be here to engage with the community, support our member shelters in that engagement and understand what unique challenges different communities face,” said Gibson.
She told the audience that everyone in the room had a role to play.
“That everyone can be a leader in changing culture around attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence,” said Gibson.
Her message was reinforced by a series of statistics that show just how widespread and deadly domestic violence remains in Canada.
“Approximately every four days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner,” she said. “Women make up 73 per cent of all intimate partner homicide victims. Women are four times more likely than men to experience intimate partner violence, and 61 per cent of Indigenous women have experienced some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime.”
These figures, she noted, come from Statistics Canada and the Canadian Femicide Observatory.
A crisis of space: more than 20,000 turned away
Gibson also delivered a number that hit the room with force. In 2023 alone, 20,114 survivors in Alberta attempted to enter a women’s shelter but were turned away because there was no space available. Many were mothers, bringing 9,203 children with them.
She said those numbers illustrate the core barrier many survivors face. They are ready to take a step toward safety, but there is nowhere for them to go.
“And then lies the heart of the problem, the availability of resources for all these people,” said Gibson.
The transcript of her presentation shows that the strain on shelters has lasted for years. From 2020 to 2024, shelters admitted 8,136 Albertans, while tens of thousands more sought help they could not access. Calls to shelters rose high enough in 2022 to surpass provincial population growth despite pandemic disruptions Spark foundation mental health.
Pandemic conditions deepened the danger
Gibson said the pandemic intensified the risks. As public health restrictions kept people home, many victims found themselves trapped around the clock with their abusers.
Survivors told shelters that the isolation and forced confinement felt identical to the control they were already experiencing. With abusers monitoring phones, movements, and conversations, asking for help often became impossible.
Shelter staff across Alberta reported major increases in economic abuse, debt, mental health struggles, and barriers to income support and housing. According to Gibson, 56 per cent of women surveyed during the pandemic were at severe or extreme risk of being killed. That number rose to 65 per cent in 2022 and 2023, one of the highest levels recorded in a decade Spark foundation mental health.
Coercive control: the invisible violence
Gibson spent part of her session explaining coercive control, a pattern of domination and surveillance that is harder to see but just as damaging.
She described survivors who learn to recognize small signals that violence is coming. One woman knew that if her partner began twisting his wedding ring in public, she would be assaulted once they got home. Others described a single look across a room that carried the same message.
Canada does not yet recognize coercive control as a criminal offence. The United Kingdom has since 2015.
Why women remain at highest risk
Gibson was clear that domestic violence affects everyone. It occurs in heterosexual relationships and in 2SLGBTQ+ relationships, and impacts seniors, men, women, trans people and non-binary individuals. But the numbers show women remain at the highest risk of severe harm and death.
“When you look at these stats, it is hard to argue that women aren’t the primary victims,” she said.
She added that more than half of all Albertans have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime. The actual number is likely higher due to underreporting.
The most dangerous moment is leaving
Gibson urged the public and service providers to understand that the act of leaving a violent relationship is often the most life-threatening moment. Abusers lose control when a partner leaves, and that loss of control can trigger extreme violence.
It also takes time.
“Seven to eight times,” she said, is the average number of attempts a woman makes before leaving for good Spark foundation mental health.
Everyone can be a leader
Gibson ended her presentation the same way she began it. The numbers are staggering, but change is possible when communities refuse to ignore harmful behaviour.
She told attendees they can lead by setting positive examples, refusing to participate in disrespectful comments or jokes, learning about local resources, and offering support when someone discloses abuse.
“Everybody can be a leader,” she said.
She emphasized that those quiet, consistent actions matter to people who feel isolated, ashamed, or fearful.
Lloydminster continues facing the same pressures
Local organizations, including the Spark Foundation and the Lloydminster Sexual Assault Services, say the pressures Gibson described are visible here at home. Outreach teams continue trying to meet growing demand with limited housing options and long wait lists for mental health and addictions supports.
The Blend of statistics, local stories, and lived experience highlight the same trend: survivors are reaching out for help faster than communities can provide it.
Gibson said the situation requires ongoing advocacy, education, and public involvement.
“We want to support our member shelters and help communities take positive action,” she said. “We want people to know they’re not alone.”
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