The provincial government has declared gender-based violence an epidemic in Newfoundland and Labrador, and have established a task force to tackle the issue.

Government states that such violence is “widespread” throughout the province, and that rates are increasing.

The task force is made up of 12 members, six of those will be advocates and people with lived experience while the other half of the committee will be government officials.

Non-government members include survivor Georgina McGrath – the namesake of Georgina’s law, and Lisa Brenton-Lake – the mother of Cortney Lake.

The task force will guide government on several fronts, and provide recommendations to government on ending gender-based violence.

Minister Lela Evans says the hope is for the task force to have recommendations back to government by the fall.

She says there will be “short timelines for comprehensive work,” and once the initial report is delivered in the fall more work will continue.