MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais | A team dedicated to preventing domestic violence

To “avoid another feminicide”, the public security officers of the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais will be accompanied by four mobile workers available at all times during calls related to domestic violence. Called “MAINataire ensemble”, this partnership allowing better support for victims is a first in Quebec.

Mayssa Ferah
Press

The project is already in motion and should materialize in January 2022. This multidisciplinary team will deal exclusively with domestic violence cases in the MRC des Collines region.

During a call to 911 in connection with a case of domestic violence, one of the four on-call workers will come to the victim on site once the scene has been secured by the police. The service will be available 24 hours a day, all week.

“We will take this opportunity to take care of the victim and offer him the psychosocial support necessary at the time of the crisis,” explains Stéphanie Macleod, social worker in domestic violence hired by the police.

Support during and after an event of domestic violence cannot fall solely on the shoulders of a police force, she thinks.

“The policeman has his job of intervention or investigation. We do not want the victim to fall into cracks and that it becomes the 18th^e feminicide of the year. ”

Once the specialist is in the field, the agents will continue their intervention.

Support and prevent

After each intervention, the team will focus on prevention using a homicidal risk assessment grid as a tool. “I already make follow-up calls within 5 to 10 days after events of assault, family disputes or cases of forcible confinement when you feel a risk of domestic violence”, specifies M^me Macleod.

The interveners can inform the victim of the possible scenarios after the intervention. What to do if an abusive partner does not respect the conditions? Who to call? “By remaining in contact with the victim long afterwards, we are able to answer these questions and prevent the irreversible”, continues M^me Macleod.

This new approach is carried out in partnership with the accommodation resource Maison Libère-Elles for the relocation of the victim.

An agreement with a local taxi company will meet the transportation needs for the abused person and their family.

A crying need as we anticipate a 30% increase in calls related to domestic violence in the MRC des Collines if the trend continues this year, according to Inspector Joël Blain, head of the Criminal Investigations division at the MRC Hills. This alliance will improve and facilitate the work of its workforce, he rejoices. There are gaps in the support of a victim following a denunciation, he believes.

“We tend to believe that the police are specialists in everything, but despite the knowledge and experience, in a psychosocial context, there are people more specialized than us,” explains Mr. Blain.

Denunciations related to domestic violence are on the rise in the region at the moment, explains the inspector. “Containment didn’t help. We are already seeing a 30% increase in this type of intervention if we maintain this trend this year. ”