A new report from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) published on Monday did not observe a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic violence. The workers in the field are sorry to read a report “which does not do justice” to their reality.
“Reading it, both arms fell to the ground,” says the director general of Maison Simonne-Monet-Chartrand (MSMC), Hélène Langevin, in an interview with Press. This report does not do justice to the field work that has been done and that does not do justice to our reality, ”she said.
The INSPQ’s conclusions are based on 35 articles published up to January 2021. “The studies listed do not allow us to conclude a change in the extent, severity or consequences of domestic violence, even if some data point towards an increase ”, we can read in the INSPQ report published on Monday.
Since the start of the pandemic, workers in the field have instead observed “increased distress” on the part of women. “Women who ask for help have often experienced more severe violence than we saw before the pandemic. There was more physical violence, ”says Louise Riendeau, co-responsible for political issues at the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victims of conjugal violence.
The health measures in place have also made the work of the workers more complex.
The lockdown and curfew made it extremely difficult to be able to access and relate to these women so they could voice their request for help.
Louise Riendeau, co-responsible for political files at the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victims of conjugal violence
“At the start of the pandemic, the phone was no longer ringing. Women were confined with their abusive partner, so they could hardly ask for help, ”adds Mme Riendeau.
Since the start of the pandemic, approximately one in ten people has been the victim of domestic violence, according to population surveys.
The “unsuitable” sampling
Mme Langevin believes that the data used in the INSPQ article is not representative of Canada. “I hope that the people who will read the study will take stock of things and recognize that the sampling is not necessarily adapted to the Canadian and Quebec reality. ”
The INSPQ report was based on studies from the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Only 2 of the 35 articles were produced in Canada.
“Carried out in a limited period of time, it is based on knowledge from a rapid literature search as well as a summary and non-exhaustive analysis of scientific writings”, indicates the INSPQ.
Education duty
“Masterful efforts have been made on the ground to support women, and it is difficult to see that these efforts have not been highlighted in a report like this,” said Mr.me Langevin.
However, she is not discouraged. “It’s already a good start to take an interest in it, and I hope that this study will evolve over time and seek more data targeted to our Canadian reality,” she said.
Until then, Mme Riendeau reiterates the importance of educating and making the population aware of this problem. “If we want one day to stop this scourge, we must teach egalitarian relationships and respect for partners from childhood. ”