The number of reports made to the police by women victims of domestic violence increased for the seventh time in seven years, last year. That’s according to Statistics Canada on Wednesday, which says the real picture is definitely worse than the data suggests.
Posted at 12:00 a.m.
In 2021, 537 women per 100,000 people reported being victims of domestic violence in the country. A rate that has been increasing since 2014, when this rate was 452 out of 100,000 people.
“During the pandemic, it was even worse because the women were locked up with their attacker, underlines Christine Giroux, activist and victim of domestic violence. They didn’t have the opportunity to go out, to talk, to express themselves. It was the worst moment. »
Statistics Canada points out that the rate it calculates is probably understated. “According to results from the 2019 General Social Survey, one in five (19%) self-reported victims of spousal violence indicated that the violence they experienced was reported to the police,” writes Statistics Canada.
Claudine Thibaudeau, spokesperson for the organization SOS violence conjugale, says the number of phone calls her organization receives has gone from 41,000 per year in 2020-2021 to 58,000 for the year that ended in March 2022.
“It’s a significant increase,” she said.
She points out that an increase in the number of calls does not necessarily mean that there is more violence in society, but that more reporting is occurring. “Before, it was perhaps more under the radar. You see more because the doors are wider open,” she says.
That said, the latest figures from the news in Quebec are not reassuring. Mme Thibaudeau reports that the province has just experienced 12 domestic violence-related homicides in 12 weeks. “It’s huge,” she says.
She indicates that violence can take many forms in a couple, including manipulation and the desire to have control over the outings and comings and goings of the other. “It happens a lot, especially among young people,” she says. On its site, SOS violence conjugale also offers an interactive questionnaire to identify the signs of domestic violence on a daily basis.
According to Myriam Dubé, professor at the School of Social Work at UQAM, we must work on both the micro and macro levels to hope to reduce domestic violence.
“I believe that with the gradual rise of gender equality in our society, the issue of domestic violence has been somewhat neglected. Violence is people who feel threatened deep inside. What threatens them? Society says a man has to be strong, he has to be dominant, while inside the individual may not feel very dominant or very strong. »
Terrorized for 23 years
Some cases of spousal abuse can stretch on for years, even when the couple broke up a long time ago.
This is what Christine Giroux has been living for 23 years. The Montreal mother is terrified by her ex-husband, who has been in prison for 17 years. “I was stabbed, raped, kidnapped. I’ve charged 17 times, and he’s been convicted 17 times. Every time he gets out of prison, he finds me. »
Her ex-husband was released from prison three weeks ago, she said.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Christine Giroux
A court order forbids him to approach me, but it’s not a small piece of paper that will stop him… I have developed phobias because of that. I took self-defense classes, I don’t sit with my back to the door, I have a service dog…
Christine Giroux, victim of domestic violence
Mme Giroux remains in contact with the police and is organizing the march “That’s enough! », which aims to denounce domestic violence and feminicides and to show solidarity with the victims. Supported by several organizations fighting violence against women, the march is due to start at 1 p.m. at Place du Canada in downtown Montreal.
Mme Giroux asks the provincial government to expand the anti-reconciliation electronic bracelet program, limited to 1,000 bracelets. “We agree that in a province of 8 million people, 1,000 bracelets is far too few,” she said.
She also asks that the remand sentences of repeat offenders stop counting twice in the calculation of sentences. “Why would a repeat offender who breaks into five times to beat up his ex-wife have that privilege? she asks.
Victims of domestic violence can contact SOS violence conjugale at 1 800 363-9010 toll-free, 24 hours a day. 24, 7 days a week.