DR. BORNA MEISAMI COMMEMORATIVE FOUNDATION CALLS FOR INCREASED SUPPORT FOLLOWING MAYOR CHOW’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENDER BASED AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC IN TORONTO
JULY 21st, 2023 (TORONTO)- The Dr. Borna Meisami Commemorative Foundation applauds Mayor Olivia Chow and the council’s decision to declare gender-based and intimate partner violence (GBV and IPV) an epidemic in the city of Toronto. For the past 15 years, our organization has remained committed to supporting survivors of GBV and IPV through pro-bono dental, medical, and rehabilitative care. We aim to ensure the restoration of victims’ confidence and overall health, thereby breaking the cycle of abuse, depression, self-neglect, and overall deterioration of health often associated with the incidence of these forms of abuse.
Mayor Chow’s decision marks an important step forward in furthering this cause through its recognition of GBV and IPV by “[using] a public health framework to help survivors and bring attention to the issue as a sociological phenomenon” (Tyler Griffin, The Canadian Press). However, there is much work to be done in turning this attention into action. Since its inception in 2010, our foundation has provided over $1.3 million in private treatment, averaging at nearly $45,000 donated per year. We are also proud to have grown to include the services of more than 50 practitioners. However, while the efforts of organizations such as ours play an important role in supporting survivors of GBV and IPV, we cannot accomplish this goal alone.
To learn more about how you can contribute to our foundation’s mission, please visit https://drbmeisamifoundation.com/ or contact alyssandra@drbmeisamifoundation.com
You can read more about Mayor Chow’s decision here:
CBC News: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/intimate-partner-violence-epidemic-1.6912359