In the wake of multiple femicides and a growing public reckoning with systemic failures in BC’s response to intimate partner violence, Hotel Pacifico invited BWSS Executive Director Angela Marie MacDougall for a full-length interview on the escalating crisis of gender-based violence and the political inaction that sustains it.
The conversation aired just weeks after five women were killed in British Columbia within a single month, including in Kelowna, where state systems had been actively engaged but failed to prevent the outcome. What emerged from the interview was not simply commentary on tragic events, but a rare and unflinching public analysis of the social, legal, cultural, and institutional conditions that allow violence to persist.
Angela brought a survivor-centred, systemic lens to the table, challenging the “random tragedy” framing that too often dominates news coverage, and instead calling out state responsibility, political inertia, and the refusal to implement known, evidence-based solutions. From lethality risk assessments to the urgent need for mayors and councils to name this issue publicly, she laid out a clear and actionable path for change.
This episode marked one of the most strategic and impactful public discussions on GBV in BC to date. It came at a critical moment when public frustration is rising, the media is beginning to connect the dots, and policymakers can no longer justify delay.
We invite you to listen and read our full analysis of the interview’s key strengths, missed opportunities, and implications for government, media, and public safety systems.
Listen to the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/hotel-pacifico/id1712174560?i=1000721099609
