OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 25, 2025 /CNW/ - The United Nations estimates that almost one in three women globally have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, and that every year tens of thousands of women are killed by intimate partners or family members.
Today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) stands firmly united with other organizations around the world in demanding urgent action to combat this issue, protect the rights of women and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.
As health care providers, the SOGC understands the profound impact of gender-based violence on the physical, mental and reproductive health and rights of women everywhere. But we also know the risks are not borne equally. Women coming from marginalized communities, such as Indigenous and racialized women, newcomers to Canada and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals face higher rates of violence and additional barriers to accessing support.
In an increasingly globalized and digital world, women are also receiving false or misleading information about their health via websites, social media or some influencers. If women are persuaded by false information about medications or supplements or if they cannot access trusted, evidence-based data to help them make informed decisions about their health their safety can be compromised.
That's why the SOGC, supported by expert members of the SOGC's sexual and reproductive health committee, has called out health misinformation and disinformation as a form of violence against women. It causes real harm to women and girls and undermines trust in health care providers and treatment options that are grounded in evidence and safety.
The SOGC remains committed to ending gender-based violence, and as the national voice of women's health in Canada, the organization works to create awareness about the impacts of violence against women and the need to end it in all forms.
"We cannot stand by and allow women to continue to be harmed by physical and sexual violence, nor can we ignore the significant harms being caused by health disinformation that targets women. All of us have a responsibility to take action to stop the cycles of abuse, coercion and control that, for far too many women, ends in tragedy." - Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, President, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
SOURCE The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
Media Inquiries: Kelsey MacDonald, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, [email protected], 613-730-4192 x 228
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