This article contains details which may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by intimate partner violence, contact Archway Society for Domestic Peace at 250-542-1122. All programs are easily accessible, free of charge and confidential.
The North Okanagan knows all too well the devastation Kelowna is feeling.
The wounds are still fresh, and lingering in the justice system, from the death of Lumby's Tatjana Stefanski in April 2024. Her ex-husband Vitali Stefanski is charged with second-degree murder.
Just over a year later, the Okanagan is again mourning the loss of a woman to alleged intimate partner violence. Kelowna's Bailey Plover died from a brutal attack on July 4. Her ex-husband James Plover is charged with second-degree murder.
"We know what happens when patterns of violence are ignored, when warnings from friends and family go unheard, and when the systems meant to protect women fail," reads a July 10 statement from Vernon's Archway Society for Domestic Peace.
The agency, formerly the Vernon Women's Transition House Society, says 48 per cent of women and girls in B.C. have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV).
In January 2025, Premier David Eby declared gender-based violence a national epidemic. Dr. Kim Stanton’s report to the Attorney General outlines clear, actionable steps that could prevent tragedies like these. The Gender Equity Office leads the Safe and Supported Action Plan.
"But without concrete action, these are only empty words and headlines," Archway said.
Residents are urged to demand change with the following:
• Contact your MLA to urge the provincial government to implement Stanton’s recommendations and commit the necessary resources and political will to create real change.
• Contact your local MP to advocate for amending the Criminal Code to include femicide – the intentional killing of women – as its own specific offence.
Community members are also urged to check in on each other - friends, teammates and neighbours.
"If someone seems withdrawn, anxious, or isolated, reach out. Let them know you care and are there to listen without judgment," Archway advises. "You don’t need all the answers; listening, believing, and connecting them to specialized supports can save lives."
Residents can also support organizations like Archway that help survivors and prevent violence.
"Donations, volunteering, and advocacy strengthen our community’s safety net. Local shelters, counselling programs, and victim services rely on this generosity to continue their life-saving work."
Children impacted by IPV also need support, from coaches, teammates, teachers, and friends who can provide stability and care to children who have lost a parent to violence.
"Simple acts of kindness, routine, and inclusion help them feel safe and valued during unimaginable grief."
Local resources include:
• Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society
• Archway Society for Domestic Peace (Vernon)
• SAFE Society (Salmon Arm)
• Kelowna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre
• Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Vernon)
Archway provides wraparound support for adult, child, and youth survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault through safe shelter, counselling, advocacy, outreach services, and collaborative community projects.
All services are free, confidential, and support is available 24/7.
Archway is a partner in the Battered Women’s Support Network’s #DesignedWithSurvivors initiative, which states: “We are creating a real-time, community-rooted framework for public safety: one that centres survivors, trains first responders, supports court navigation, and strengthens cross-sector collaboration.
"We are doing the work now — because every day without action is another risk. More than 100 organizations and individuals across B.C. have joined this coalition. Because violence doesn’t end with a disclosure. It ends when the systems around her stop deferring action.”
If you or someone you know needs help, reach out to the network, your local women’s shelter, or call the crisis line at 1-888-353-2273.
