‘Fear of the virus’ keeps women from shelters
Women’s services agency worries as rural victims isolate with their abusers
More women in HaldimandNorfolk are being abused by their intimate partners during the pandemic, but the women’s shelter in Simcoe hasn’t been any busier.
That has Jane Scheel worried. “From what we understand, the number of domestic violence incidents has increased. But what’s concerning to us is we’re not seeing the same increase in requests for admission to the shelter,” said Scheel, executive director of Haldimand-Norfolk Women’s Services (HNWS).
That leaves Scheel and her colleagues to wonder what is happening behind closed doors as women isolate with their abusers rather than risk coming to the shelter “because of their fear of the virus.”
“Moving into a congregate living environment is frightening as well,” she said.
Shelter admissions may be down, but Scheel said more women are looking to remotely access the counselling, education and legal support services offered by the Simcoe-based nonprofit.
“The service has been maintained without skipping a beat. The service delivery looks a little different,” Scheel said.
Connecting by email and social media, over the phone, or through video calls means putting an even greater premium on privacy. Women’s Services staff show clients how to delete their browser history, chats and call logs so their abusive partner doesn’t find out they are getting help.
The lack of reliable internet access in certain corners of the sprawling rural counties complicates online service delivery, and the cost of data can be a hindrance to a low-income client whose cellphone is her lifeline to the shelter.
During the pandemic there’s the “added stress of doing home-schooling and having your abusive partner at home all the time,” Scheel added.
“It’s definitely a concern,” said Norfolk County OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk about the prevalence of domestic violence in rural areas such as Haldimand-Norfolk.
Sanchuk said police have seen a “slight increase” in domestic violence calls since the pandemic began.
“It does fluctuate,” he said. “The whole thing for me is one domestic violence call is one too many in our community.”
A sweeping study of police-reported crime in Ontario released this month by Statistics Canada found that the provincial average for intimate partner violence in 2018 was 243 victims per 100,000 residents aged 15 and older.
There was no data available for Haldimand-Norfolk specifically, but rates in nearby Hamilton and Brantford were both above average at 256 and 373 victims per 100,000, respectively.
The true numbers are likely higher still, as many studies suggest most domestic violence cases aren’t reported to police. The Canadian Women’s Foundation says that nationwide, a woman is killed by her intimate partner every six days.
Sanchuk encouraged anyone experiencing domestic violence to call police or the HNWS crisis line at 1-800-265-8076, or reach out to Victim Services.
“They’re not alone,” Sanchuk said. “There are resources here to help.”
Scheel noted that the crisis line is staffed around the clock, so women can call any time. Staff also reply to private messages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and the HNWS website offers resources for how to recognize and safely leave an abusive situation.
Women’s Services has cancelled several fundraisers because of COVID-19, include the popular Hope in High Heels walk, which expanded to Haldimand last year. Online donations help to keep the shelter staffed and well-stocked.
“Our community has been very generous,” Scheel said. “Certainly, we’re going to be looking at other ways to fundraise.”
In early April, the federal government promised $40 million to women’s shelters and sexual assault centres.
Scheel said $32,000 was distributed to HNWS through
Women’s Shelters Canada. The money has paid for additional staff to work at the shelter and implement a host of safety precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
With school now online, there is a dedicated computer where youth living at the shelter can do their homework, with help from teachers who serve as volunteer tutors over video calls.
In order to comply with physical-distancing rules, the number of available beds has been reduced.
“We are full based on what our current capacity is allowed to be,” Scheel said, adding that local housing and legal aid groups have also had to rejig their service models. “A lot of the places we would refer women to are in the same boat as us,” she said. “Even if women wanted to move out, there’s nowhere for them to go.”
She said no one has been asked to leave the shelter because of the virus, and staff wouldn’t turn anyone away who needed help.
“We can find creative ways to keep people safe,” Scheel said.
“The number of domestic violence incidents has increased. But what’s concerning to us is we’re not seeing the same increase in requests for admission to the shelter.”
JANE SCHEEL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HALDIMAND-NORFOLK WOMEN’S SERVICES