PC MPP Jess Dixon says tackling gender-based violence and prevention programs top priorities for next legislative session

March 10, 2026

Much of Dixon’s focus will build on a sweeping report released in December examining intimate partner violence, sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence. The report followed extensive hearings that included testimony from experts, service providers and survivors.

Progressive Conservative MPP Jess Dixon says advancing work to combat intimate partner violence and expanding prevention programs aimed at reducing crime before it starts will be among her top priorities when Ontario’s legislature returns later this month.

Much of Dixon’s focus will build on a sweeping report released in December examining intimate partner violence, sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence. The report followed extensive hearings that included testimony from experts, service providers and survivors.

“We really tried to reflect what people told us in a way that was structured and forward-looking,” Dixon said in an interview. “The challenge has never been whether people care, people really, really do. The challenge is how do we take that care and actually build systemic responses that match how deeply rooted gender-based violence is.”

The report helped lead to a motion introduced by Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Charmaine Williams recognizing intimate partner violence as an endemic social issue in Ontario. Dixon said this was a major step to shift in how the government approaches the problem.

Rather than focusing primarily on emergency responses after violence already happened, Dixon said the recognition builds a broader strategy to actually address the systemic and long-standing nature of the issue.

“When you look at how intimate partner violence presents itself within a community, it’s incredibly longstanding, pervasive and deeply embedded,” Dixon said. “If we’re accepting that this is persistent and systemic, then our response has to match that.”

Looking ahead, Dixon said one of her main goals is to expand evidence-based prevention programs designed to reduce violence and criminal behaviour before it begins.

Programs such as the Fourth R youth relationship program, Coaching Boys Into Men and the Stop Now And Plan (SNAP) program — developed by the Child Development Institute — have shown strong results in reducing violent behaviour among youth.

“The main goal that everyone should have regarding crime and violence is to have less of it,” Dixon said. “You want strong consequences when harm happens, but you also want to front-load the system by creating people who are less likely to become offenders and less likely to become victims.”

She said prevention programs are often delivered locally by community groups, making them difficult to scale provincewide.

“Prevention from that perspective has historically been a little bit patchwork,” she said. “Organizations recognize the need and develop programming, but it’s difficult to upscale and sustain.”

Exploring how the government can expand those programs, many of which were developed outside the public sector, is something Dixon wants to pursue.

“It’s a really unusual step for governments to take,” she said. “But when you look at the evidence behind these programs, the results can be incredible.”

Dixon said recent discussions around human trafficking have also reinforced the importance of the committee’s work.

She attended a provincial human-trafficking symposium hosted by Peel Regional Police and Victim Services of Peel in February, where survivors, police and service providers discussed the

The event brought together survivors, police officers and service providers from across Ontario to discuss how trafficking affects communities across the province.

“It’s very prevalent,” Dixon said of human trafficking in Ontario. “And what’s scary is that once you start to see who becomes exploited, it can literally be anybody.”

While many assume trafficking primarily affects newcomers, she said many victims are young girls and that Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately represented.

“What was fascinating was that the issues they kept raising at the symposium were exactly the kinds of issues we talked about in the report,” she said. “It felt very validating that the work we did was really capturing what people on the front lines are seeing.”

The symposium also pointed to the impact of measures introduced under Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Act, including restraining orders that allow courts to prohibit traffickers from contacting victims even without criminal charges.

“Hearing lawyers talk about how powerful those tools have been was really exciting,” Dixon said. “It’s amazing to see something the government created actually making that kind of difference.”

The committee report also outlines several potential legal reforms that could eventually lead to legislation.

“There are definitely aspects discussed in the report that could lead to legislative changes,” Dixon said. “For example, looking at how we expand access to protection orders or exploring civil-law tools that allow victims to pursue their abusers.”

Dixon said her role now is partly to continue engaging with community groups and building support for the report’s recommendations while advocating within government for further action. “In legislative terms, the report was published yesterday,” she said. “These things take time, but I’m optimistic.”