Quebec has no data to assess the effectiveness of assistance programs for violent spouses, to which the justice system directs many defendants. Unlike others, such as Ontario, there are no government standards governing these programs either. But the Ministry of Health and Social Services says it is working on the development of a “frame of reference” aimed at framing intervention practices with perpetrators of domestic violence.
It is currently impossible to know the recidivism rate of perpetrators of domestic violence who have attended an assistance program, commonly called therapy for violent spouses – even though these are largely government funded.
Data that would certainly be useful to “direct our efforts” and know “what works well and what does not work well”, mentions the former Chief Justice of the Court of Quebec Elizabeth Corte, who co-chaired the Committee of Experts on support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence who produced the report in 2021 rebuild trust.
But data which, on their own, would not offer a fair portrait of the situation, nuance the ex-magistrate. “Just because there is a recurrence doesn’t mean the program hasn’t had a positive effect on the individual and for the victim,” she says.
In domestic violence, as in any other area related to therapeutic justice, harm reduction must also be taken into account, believes Elizabeth Corte. “Are we successful only when the person does not reoffend at all, or are we successful if the person has improved his quality of life, finds a job, distances recurrences or if his recurrence is less serious? she says as a reflection.
A vision also shared by Normand Brodeur, professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology at Laval University and researcher at the RAIV research center (Applied and interdisciplinary research on intimate, family and structural violence). “In domestic violence, there is no miracle solution. Programs don’t work for everyone and don’t work magic, he says. It’s a combination of measures that will allow us to hope to have an impact, with a contribution from legal measures and assistance programs. »
Do we only succeed when the person does not reoffend at all, or do we succeed if the person has improved his quality of life, finds a job, distances himself from recurrences or if his recurrence is less gravity?
High recurrences
Data obtained by The duty with the Ministère de la Justice following an access to information request nevertheless show that recidivism is common in matters of domestic violence.
In 2022 in Quebec, 45% of men convicted of a domestic violence offense had already been charged by the Crown in the matter, and 35% had also already been convicted. Proportions that are increasing since in 2013, 38% of men found guilty of a domestic violence offense had already been charged in the matter and 29% had already been found guilty.
A high recidivism rate which does not surprise ex-judge Elizabeth Corte. “It’s a theme [la violence conjugale] and as long as it is not resolved, there will be cycles of violence: there is action, regret, apologies, a lull and it starts again. »
Data from the Department of Justice show that the perpetrators of domestic violence also often have a criminal record linked to other types of offence. In 2022, 67% of men convicted of a domestic violence offense in Quebec had already been found guilty of another offence. In 2013, this proportion was 65%.
“Often, we will have the impression that violence is only in the couple […], analyzes Normand Brodeur. But what these statistics show is that it is more complex than that: these are men who have a set of difficulties in terms of social integration. »
Framework
In Quebec, assistance programs for perpetrators of domestic violence are mainly funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS). In 2022-2023, 36 community organizations working with perpetrators of domestic violence obtained total funding of $23 million from the MSSS. An envelope that has jumped 88% since 2019-2020.
In 2021, the report rebuild trust recommended better oversight of programs for these people and the implementation of accreditation to guarantee the quality and uniformity of the support offered.
Asked about the issue, the MSSS said it was working on developing a “frame of reference” to identify intervention practices with perpetrators of domestic violence. This guide will include a mechanism for assessing program compliance with established standards. However, no timetable has been established for the filing of these markers.
At the same time, the À coeur d’homme association — which brings together 31 organizations that help men with violent behavior — commissioned Université Laval researchers Normand Brodeur, Valérie Roy and Rebecca Angele to develop a guide to good practices on the empowerment of men, perpetrators of domestic violence.
The programs will therefore be better supervised, but will still not offer a miracle solution. “We can’t put all the responsibility for solving these problems on a single aid program,” summarizes Normand Brodeur.