DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
– Call numbers are down
Outreach workers and police wonder if conditions are making it harder for potential victims to reach out to support services
Domestic violence calls to police and charges that spiked earlier this year in Medicine Hat have actually fallen since March, according to police, but officials say COVID-related concerns could be masking the problem.
At the same time outreach workers with the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter say they are “slammed” — busier than ever — giving advice and support to men and women who call hoping to avoid an escalation of tension or abuse.
“They’re trying to be proactive, and telling us that ‘I’m not coping, or she or he isn’t coping,’ and can we get some support with this,” said Leanne Biem, the manager of outreach services with the women’s shelter.
“There’s an increase of people contacting us and asking for an intervention before the fact. It’s brilliant, and exactly what we want.”
General stress and financial worry are chief factors that can aggravate disputes within family relations and romantic relationships.
The pandemic response — marked by higher unemployment and a seeming lack of space as families heed calls to remain home as much as possible — would appear a recipe for increased strife between not only couples, but also adult children and elderly parents, and others.
However, health anxieties and a drive to maintain disease-free housing, or even maintain family bonds during the crisis, could translate to a greater reluctance to take formal action, like calling police or leaving.
“There has been a decrease (in domestic calls), and why that is, we don’t know,” said Insp. Tim McGeogh. “We had anticipated that, because of the stress people are enduring, that we might see an increase,”
“Or, is it because people don’t want to call the police? To say that would be speculation.”
McGeogh said the force’s operations have been adjusted to meet health regulations to contain the spread of COVID-19, and police are always available to respond to calls for help.
They also provide referrals to other community support agencies, and the outreach phone line at the women’s shelter (403529-1091) is staffed 24 hours each day.
While calls to police have fallen in since March 1, which police consider the start of a “COVID period” in the figures, early 2020 saw a marked increase.
In the entire first four months of 2020, domestic calls to police where no charges were laid increased 32 per cent compared to the same period last year, while charges laid rose 6 per cent.
However, the same analysis for seven weeks from March 1 to April 23, calls dropped by 13 per cent and charges are down 42 per cent.
Biem said domestic violence is complex to begin with, and now everyday life under pandemic creates a new paradigm on challenges in addressing the issue.
That could lead to fewer interactions with police, she suspected.
“There are as many reasons as there are people, but one might be that everyone is in the same household (all the time),” she said. “So in other times when they might have called the police, or called the shelter, it’s not safe to do that now. It’s inhibiting.”
The Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter reports that use of emergency shelter space is down, though second-stage housing use is steady, and new contacts are being made between individuals and the Safe Families Intervention Team.
That agency provides new contact, referrals and some guidance to those involved in domestic violence cases on file with the MHPS and the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter. The program is a joint-venture between the two.