Despite decades of activism by feminists and their allies, women and their children continue to be killed by their partners and former partners in shocking numbers, leading the federal government to describe intimate partner violence (IPV) as an epidemic in Canada. Why have we failed to respond effectively to a social problem that affects millions of women and children?

After working for more than three decades with survivors, frontline workers, and the systems they turn to for help, lawyer Pamela Cross provides an in-depth look at intimate partner violence in Canada. And Sometimes They Kill You untangles what intimate partner violence is, the barriers to its eradication, and what we could be doing to eliminate those barriers. Told in an engaging and accessible fashion, the book weaves together Cross’ personal experiences and reflections on what she has learned with the heartbreaking stories of victims, survivors, and the alarming but convincing data. Cross offers practical and hopeful ideas for how each of us can engage in the vital work of eradicating intimate partner violence. This a call-to-action for the all-of-society, revolutionary response to gender-based violence needed to build communities that are safe and healthy for everyone.

Pamela Cross is a feminist lawyer who works in the gender-based-violence movement. Pamela brings an intersectional feminist analysis to her work as a researcher, writer, and educator, which is focused on the intersections between gender-based violence, and particularly intimate partner violence, and Canadian legal systems. She has worked with a wide range of women’s equality and gender-based-violence organizations across Canada, sits on Ontario’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, and is a frequent media commentator on these issues. Pamela has a long history as a political activist, for which she boasts a healthy criminal record. She lives in Kingston, Ontario with her partner and their cat.

Pamela Cross' profile page