Advocates outraged by killing of Brampton woman call for action on gender-based violence ‘epidemic’

The alleged murder of yet another woman at the hands of an intimate partner has activists calling on the Region of Peel to declare “gender-based violence an epidemic” in Mississauga and Brampton.

Davinder Kaur died on May 19 after police say she was repeatedly stabbed by Nav Nishan Singh, who sources say was Kaur’s husband.

Kaur’s death is at least the third suspected femicide of a South Asian woman from Peel since September, and the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse (PCAWA) says there were 52 women in Ontario killed as a result of gender-based violence in 2022 – that’s one woman killed for every week in the year.

“We need a meaningful, sustainable and systemic response to fundamentally change the systems and structures that keep allowing this to happen,” said PCAWA Co-Chair Maria Zigouris in a release.

The group says it plans to ask Peel Regional Council to declare a femicide “epidemic” in the region and send a message to the community and the province “that Peel recognizes the imminent issue of intimate-partner and gender-based violence and are committed to taking action.”

“For every femicide, there are more survivors who are not safe in their homes, workplaces and communities. We can do more to reach out and support them. We can engage their intimate partners, family members, friends, coworkers and acquaintances to end the
violence,” PCAWA said.

PCAWA also has enhanced gender-based violence training for the Region of Peel and the public on how to best support survivors and respond to disclosures of gender-based violence through Embrave: Agency to End Violence.

Survivors of violence or those in need of support can contact Embrave’s 24-hour crisis line by calling 905-403-0864 or 1-855-676-8515. You can also seek support from one of the PCAWA member agencies.

Singh had reportedly asked his estranged 43-year-old wife to meet in Brampton’s Sparrow Park to discuss living together again on the day he allegedly killed her.

Since then a disturbing video which appears to show part of her death has been circulating on social media, with police working to have the graphic footage taken down online.

Back in December, Brampton woman Pawanpreet Kaur was shot and killed while working at the Petro-Canada gas station in Mississauga. Dharam Singh Dhaliwal is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for first-degree murder in her death, and the two are believed to have been in a relationship.

And in September, 22-year-old Chandanpreet Kaur was stabbed and killed at a busy Mississauga Canadian Tire. Police have charged her husband Charanjeet Singh with first-degree murder.

The investigation into Davinder Kaur’s death is ongoing anyone with information regarding the stabbing or has surveillance or dashcam footage from the area to contact investigators at 905-453-2121 ext. 3205.

A GoFundMe page has been started to raise funds and help with funeral arrangements and support Kaur’s children.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Peel CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.