Nova Scotia Minister of Justice Brad Johns has begun calling dozens of women's and domestic violence support organizations to discuss his public comments downplaying concerns about domestic violence, the CBC has learned.

At least four organizations say Johns called them to apologize directly, but they say damage has been done. 

"I was shocked that a minister of justice did not know how serious domestic violence is in our province," Myrene Keating-Owen, the executive director of LEA Place Women's …