An Ajax woman killed along with her two children this week was the eighth female in the GTA alleged to be killed this year by a man they were in relationship with.

“These numbers are definitely alarming, it’s heartbreaking as well,” said Deepa Mattoo, director of legal services for Barbara Schlifer Clinic.

“The community is definitely grappling with something here. There’s so many more reported instances in such a short amount of time. Just when people are nearing the end of their grieving, another instance is reported.”

Krassimira Pejcinovski, 39, and her two children — Roy, 15, and Venallia, 13 — were killed Wednesday.

Cory Fenn, 29, who police said was in a relationship with the deceased woman, has been charged with three counts of second degree murder.

Four women were killed in Peel Region over a two-week period in January alone.

“What makes me concerned about this is that we know that these murders are predictable and preventable,” said Farrah Khan, co-chair of a provincial task force combatting sexual and domestic violence, and Ryerson University’s co-ordinator of the Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education.

“So we see patterns of behaviour happening such as stalking or when someone leaves the relationship, things escalate.”

She said the victims in those relationships may isolate themselves from others because they feel scared or that no one will believe them.

The list of victims in the GTA this year include:

Jan. 4 — Barbara Kovic, 76, was found in her Etobicoke home suffering from severe injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene and her husband Ante Kovic, 81, was charged with second-degree murder.

Jan. 12 — Baljit Thandi, 32, and her mother Avtar Kaur, 60, were pronounced dead in a Brampton home after suffering from stab wounds. A child was found in the house but wasn’t injured. Thandi’s husband Dalwinder Singh, 29, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

Jan. 12 — Elaine Bellevue, 61, was found dead with stab wounds in a Mississauga home. Her husband Robert Bellevue, 61, was charged with first-degree murder.

Jan. 17 — Police responded to a shooting in an Oakville home where Prem Singh, 69, and Jan Singh, 70, were found dead. Halton Region police later said that Prem Singh shot his wife before shooting himself.

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Jan. 27 — Hoden Said, 30, was found dead in a basement apartment in Brampton. Police said she was found with obvious signs of physical trauma. Nicholas Anthony Young, 46, who was wanted for Said’s death, was found dead in Shelburne. His death was deemed not suspicious. Peel police said Thursday that Young and Said were in a romantic relationship.