Advocates sound alarm after Ottawa and Gatineau police report double-digit increases in intimate partner violence

Along with an upsurge in demand for shelter services, front-line staff are also seeing an increase in the severity of abuse in the cases they handle, one advocate says

Published Jul 03, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read

Alison Telford, manager of Cornerstone Housing for Women, says it has “turned away 360 callers, women who are fleeing violence,” for lack of space. Photo by Staff /Postmedia

With alarming double-digit increases in cases of violence against women cited by both Ottawa and Gatineau police, women’s advocates are pleading with stakeholders to address the crisis with long- and short-term solutions.

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Among the immediate solutions, said Alison Telford, manager of Cornerstone Shelter for Women, is addressing Ottawa’s critical shortage of shelter spaces.

“Since January we’ve turned away 360 callers, women who are fleeing violence,” Telford said last week. “At one point we could clearly identify that the middle and end of the month were peak times for callers looking for shelters, but now it’s daily. We’re turning away at least three to four people on a daily basis.”

Cornerstone welcomes more than 200 women each day to its five local housing communities while relying on support from donors, community partners and volunteers.

“The front-line workers are definitely reporting an increase from our service users saying the local violence against women (VAW) shelters are full,” Telford said.

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“If somebody calls us and says they are fleeing violence, it is part of our screening questions to ask them if they have already tried the VAW shelters, (which) provide more in-depth support for what they are experiencing.

“We’re met again and again with women saying the shelters are full and they have nowhere else to go, so it will fall to Cornerstone or other shelters that have women’s beds to keep them safe.”

Gatineau police recently unveiled a multi-faceted strategic plan to address intimate partner violence after reporting the highest number of cases in five years in 2022.

Between 2018 and 2022, there was a yearly average of 1,188 domestic violence complaints in Gatineau, but last year that number rose sharply to 1,485.

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In its annual report to city council in mid-June, the Ottawa Police Service reported a 10-per-cent increase in cases of intimate partner violence that resulted in criminal charges in 2022. Police also reported a 13-per-cent increase in the total number of related charges laid in 2022.

“It is a concern. A double-digit increase of 10 per cent in that area is not a positive thing,” Chief Eric Stubbs said during a media call.

“I hope what some of that is (attributed to) is an increase in reporting, a trust that we will be responsive and we will manage these important calls within those agencies that are helping these women that are being victimized,” Stubbs said.

Gatineau Police Chief Simon Fournier expressed similar sentiments in a news release earlier in June.

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“If more victims decide to break the silence, it is a sign that they know that they will be heard and that a hand will be extended to them,” Fournier said in French. “We want to tell them that our door is wide open, that we listen without judgment and that we will do everything in our power to offer them greater security.”

Stubbs said relationships between Ottawa police and the local network of social service agencies and non-governmental organizations had “strengthened over the last year or two.”

Stubbs also cited a community-based team reviewing OPS intimate partner violence files — “in particular the ones that don’t (result in) a charge,” he said.

“Did we do anything wrong? Did we miss some investigative steps? We hear the feedback from the community and then we react to that feedback … We’re seeing a lot of our processes and investigative steps get better with that assistance,” Stubbs said.

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“We certainly want to see those numbers (of cases) go down, but I think having strong relationships with those agencies is key. It’s an absolute must because they deal directly with those victims.”

Shelter Movers, a volunteer-based charitable organization that provides free moving and storage services to survivors of abuse, says it is also experiencing “an unprecedented surge” in demand.

The non-profit is launching a recruitment campaign for much-needed volunteers as it heads into the busy moving season.

“Our non-profit organization is experiencing an unprecedented surge in demand for our unique no-cost moving services for survivors fleeing abuse. In the past six months, the number of survivors asking for support has doubled,” Shelter Movers said in a news release last week.

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“We are needing volunteers to assist families fleeing from abuse through the remainder of the year. In order to continue safeguarding survivors, their children and belongings, a heartfelt appeal is being extended to local businesses and the community at large.”

Along with an upsurge in demand for shelter services, Telford said, front-line staff are also seeing an increase in the severity of abuse in the cases they handle.

“Without a doubt, we are seeing women who are coming in and disclosing more traumatic instances of abuse that have happened to them,” Telford said.

The strain has led many in the social service industry to “burnout,” Telford said, along with many taking time off on medical leave or choosing to switch careers.

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“There are short-term solutions to ending gender-based violence, and that includes more shelters, and it is clear that more shelter beds are needed. More funding is needed to run these programs,” Telford said.

“But, really, it’s down to the long-term goal of ending gender-based violence, and that comes down to education and understanding how widespread the problem is and really believing and supporting survivors.”

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