Unsettling news this week from the St. Thomas Police Service related to intimate partner violence (IPV).
Police are seeing a steady increase in both incidents and charges laid over the past three years.
In 2022, there were 683 incidents with 114 resulting in charges.
Last year, the number of incidents had risen to 761 with 157 resulting in charges.
For incidents, that is an 11.4 per cent increase since 2022 and a 37.7 per cent increase in the number of charges laid.
As noted in a media release this week, “To meet this challenge, the St. Thomas Police Service deploys highly trained officers and support staff specializing in IPV investigations.
“Our coordinated approach is led by the Community Patrol Division and Investigative Services Unit and a collaboration with multi-sectoral professionals, like Victim Services Elgin.
“The importance of this work was formally recognized in the 2023-26 Strategic Plan, which identifies domestic violence and violence against women as key priorities for our service.”
The current Strategic Plan outlines domestic violence and violence against women “as a community concern and therefore was included as a priority objective for our consistent attention.”
Late in 2023, the police service successfully applied for a Victim Support Grant from the province.
And the service has just rolled out its RISE program which supports survivors and empowers voices.
And in April of last year, city council unanimously endorsed a declaration from Jodi Marissen declaring IPV is an epidemic in the City of St. Thomas.
Marissen herself is a victim of IPV.
In an interview with her in April of last year she noted it is not just limited to physical abuse.
She cited several examples.
“His charges are breaches. He had a peace bond and he breached it by e-mailing me. They did lay a charge so he had extra conditions. He is not supposed to be in Aylmer and he is not supposed to communicate with me directly or indirectly.
“His surety e-mailed me and that is another breach and he actually talked to me over one of the kids’ access calls and so that was another breach.
“What is scary is these are the kind of men, statistically, who are the highest risk for murder or very violent abuse or stalking or harassing.
“They are not taking breaches seriously, because his breach wasn’t ‘I’m going to kill you.’
“It was just an email, but an email is a breach and the courts don’t take it seriously. They don’t find any red flag in a breach which is already proving somebody can’t follow new rules that are set out for them for breaking the rules.”
To delve deeper into the rising numbers and the corresponding response from the police service, we spoke with Samantha Wakefield, corporate communications coordinator with the police service.
To begin, we asked her to clarify that IPV is what we commonly referred to in the past as domestic violence.
“It is,” affirmed Wakefield. “Domestic abuse, domestic assault, domestic violence is termed intimate partner violence.”
We picked up on the situation noted above with Jodi Marissen and the breach of conditions and is this not a continuation of IPV?
“And it also comes down to ensuring that we’re fully prepared. And if we need additional specialized training and where we can take these numbers and this data, the rise in these incidents, and allocate our services and our response suitably to ensure that both our officers are safe in responding to these calls and the victims are fully supported.”
“So I believe the continuation of the intimate partner violence incidents after a charge has been laid and someone is put on conditions, that would speak to the complexity of some of these investigations that we cite in the release, is that it’s not necessarily, here’s your charge, here’s your court date, do not do these things. It’s the ongoing incident that takes additional police resources to ensure the safety and protection of the victims involved.
“So there’s mental, there’s verbal, there’s financial abuse. It’s not always necessarily a physical assault or physical abuse.
“What we know from years of research is that intimate partner violence looks very different in multiple situations.”
This brings us to the specialized training referred to above.
“We have a sergeant who is specifically, in their portfolio, responsible for the intimate partner violence investigations, victim follow-up, victim support.
“So in-house, we have an individual specifically detailed with that. But in our building as well, since 2023, we welcome Victim Services Elgin.
“So that support for the victim is right onsite at the St. Thomas Police Service, making the referral process and the time in which that happens, that window so small because the resources are right there and available immediately to victims.”
We asked Wakefield to touch briefly on the RISE program
“Our RISE initiative is a suite of videos that outline the supports available to victims of intimate partner violence in our community.
“So we worked with Victim Services Elgin, Victim Witness Assistant, Second Stage Housing, Valora Place (formerly Violence Against Women, Services Elgin County) for women and children who experience this type of violence.
“And we were able to showcase in our city what resources are available.”
In an item last week about three assaults in one week on officers answering service calls, one incident involved IPV.
Putting officers potentially at greater risk if the situation has escalated beyond the verbal stage, advised Wakefield.
“Especially if when the call comes in, it’s an elevated call or the dispute is happening at the time of the call. When officers arrive, obviously, things are heightened.
“And in those situations, our officers are put at even more risk as they determine what’s been taking place, if the victim needs support and where to go from there.”
Will this increase in incidents and charges over the past three years influence how police respond to IPV incidents?
“So, we’re always hoping to expand our education and our awareness and our direct support and efforts of those impacted by intimate partner violence.
“And it also comes down to ensuring that we’re fully prepared. And if we need additional specialized training and where we can take these numbers and this data, the rise in these incidents, and allocate our services and our response suitably to ensure that both our officers are safe in responding to these calls and the victims are fully supported.”
The police media release cautions, “While statistical increases provide a snapshot of reported incidents, they do not tell the whole story.
“Legislative and regulatory provisions govern the release of sensitive information, ensuring the protection of victims, survivors, and their families.
“Factors such as greater awareness, improved reporting mechanisms, and socio-economic pressures in a post-pandemic environment have also influenced these numbers.”
For Jodi Marissen’s journey through a decade dealing with IPV, click on the links below.
Related posts:
2025 BUDGET APPROVED
At Monday’s meeting (Jan. 13), city council unanimously adopted the 2025 capital and operating budgets.
Council had previously modified and accepted the draft version of the budget so there was no discussion or questions raised at this time except a motion from Coun. Lori Baldwin-Sands on a reserve fund to be established for the proposed aquatic/community centre (see item below).
The budget includes gross expenditures of $39.6 million for capital and almost $184 million for operating.
The property tax levy is $72.9 million, up from $68.8 million in 2024 or a 6.03 per cent increase.
As a result, the increase to the property tax levy this year is 3.93 per cent, down from the proposed 4.93 per cent.
To shave a percentage point off the initial budget proposal, the city’s treasurer Dan Sheridan previously advised he had to come up with $1.5 million in savings.
That was accomplished by using federal gas tax money for capital budget projects.
Some of that money will go toward the purchase of a new pumper truck and 60 portable radios for the fire service.
An additional $450,000 or so was taken out of reserves to finally break ground on the long overdue new animal shelter adjacent to the Douglas J. Tarry Sports Complex.
An environmental assessment related to a possible road connection from Dalewood Drive to Balaclava Street was shelved for this year.
This item appeared to have little support from members of council.
AQUATIC/COMMUNITY CENTRE RESERVE FUND ESTABLISHED
As noted above, Coun. Baldwin-Sands introduced a motion to establish a reserve fund using some of the money received by the city from Jackpot Time and the St. Thomas Gaming Association to be directed toward the community centre/aquatic facility.
She advised council that last year the city received $380,000 and this year, the projected amount is $300,000.
Baldwin-Sands suggested “anything over and above the budget line amount of $300,000 be dedicated for the community/aquatic facility so that we can get started on fundraising and sponsorship.
“Because any sponsor wants to see something on paper.”
She added it will facilitate efforts to take advantage of any federal or provincial funding grants for recreational centres.
Treasurer Dan Sheridan advised such a motion, if approved, would not impact the budget.
There was no discussion from members and the motion was approved unanimously.
LIFE JACKET LOANER PROGRAM
An update to our item last week on Linda King’s quest to establish a life jacket loaner program in Port Stanley and St. Thomas.
As of late Friday, 663 people had signed her petition and the new target is 1,000 signatures.
The petition is available here.
Our interview with Linda King is available here.
FOR THE CALENDAR
There is no city council meeting scheduled for this Monday (Jan. 20) with the next meeting booked for Jan. 27.
