TORONTO — Women's shelters across the country are warning that domestic violence is on the rise, as a Toronto advocacy group called on the families, friends and neighbours of women in need to open their eyes.

The Women Abuse Council of Toronto says people shouldn't be afraid to interfere if they can save a woman's life. "Our experience this year indicates that we will see an increase in the number of women murdered by their intimate partners," said Vivien Green, the council's executive director.

Already this year, she said, five women have been killed by their spouses in Toronto - compared to seven all last year.

It's a sign of a disturbing trend.

In Ontario and Quebec, 21 women died at the hands of their spouses in 2004, according to the most recent statistics available from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

The fact that the public has not given much attention to the growing problem is making it worse, said Jan Reimer, of the Alberta Council of Women Shelters.

"It's a significant issue and one that is hidden very well, not talked a lot about, and likely one of the major calls for service by any police force in the country," Reimer said.

Green said all too often, the community fails to act on suspicions of abuse. She encouraged average citizens to open their eyes to identify problems.

Something as simple as a sympathetic word to a woman in need can help to break her isolation and encourage her to reach out for help, she said.

The Women Abuse Council announced Wednesday it has created an intervention team to help community workers identify when, and how, to intervene in situations of domestic abuse.

The High Risk Consult Team meets monthly to help develop creative intervention strategies for Toronto women in need.

Meanwhile, Ottawa's latest steps to loosen gun control in Canada also has women's groups on edge.

"If they (Ottawa) decide to do away with the gun control, (women deaths) are going to increase," said Anna Pazdzierski, president of the Manitoba Association of Women's Shelters.

"We know from the stats that the deaths were decreasing for people who were murdered using a firearm especially in domestic violence."

The Conservative government announced Wednesday its plans to effectively gut the controversial long-gun registry by offering a one-year amnesty to rifle and shotgun owners.

Advocates also said men must take a leading role in ending violence against women.

"Men have a critical role as fathers, partners and citizens to speak out on the issue on the personal level and in a public way," said Peter Crosby, Family Service Association of Toronto.