A man accused of domestic violence managed to approach his victim despite the fact that he was wearing an anti-reconciliation bracelet. Quebec is investigating the causes of the incident.
The event occurred on September 9 in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, said the Ministry of Public Security in a press release released on Saturday.
A man managed to approach his victim without the alarm on his anti-reconciliation bracelet imposed in a context of domestic violence being triggered.
“Normally, such a rapprochement generates an alert to the monitoring center, and there follows the rapid implementation of protocols aimed at ensuring the safety of the victim,” indicates the press release.
Alerted by a 911 call, the police were nevertheless able to intervene quickly and arrest the offender.
It is not yet clear whether the device had a defect. An assessment is underway to determine the causes of the incident, the press release informs.
“Corrective measures were quickly put in place to prevent such a situation from recurring, particularly with regard to the system and intervention protocols,” we add, without however specifying the nature of these measures.
As for the victim, “regular follow-ups” are provided to her in order to guarantee her safety.
“Despite this deplorable and isolated event, the Ministry of Public Security remains convinced of the effectiveness of the anti-reconciliation bracelet and that it constitutes an additional safety net for the protection of victims of domestic violence,” underlines the press release.
The incident still remains “worrying”, especially for victims of domestic violence, fears the Federation of women’s shelters.
“It’s certain that it can create fear, and that’s legitimate. At the same time, This is one of the risks of this type of measure. We are talking about technology connected to networks. We were aware that it could happen,” reacted its spokesperson, Elisabeth Viens Brouillard.
To date, 178 anti-reconciliation bracelets have been imposed in Quebec. The technology consists of an immovable device worn on the offender’s ankle and connected to an application installed on a cell phone given to the victim.
Adopted in 2022, the use of the anti-reconciliation bracelet was one of the recommendations made by a committee of experts on the issue of supporting victims of sexual assault and violence.
“We think the bracelet is good. It is a good measure, which is necessary, but it must be implemented as a whole [de mesures] », added Mme Viens Brouillard, emphasizing the importance of shelters in protecting victims of domestic violence.
Victims of domestic violence with concerns related to this event are invited to call: 1 833 905-0001.
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If you are a victim of domestic violence and are looking for help and respite, contact SOS Violenceconjugale at 1 800 363-9010. Workers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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