November 25, 2022
“Out of the House”: Domestic Abuse in the Media and the Complexities of Case Reporting
by Olivia Street, Coordinator of Communications and Social Advocacy at ACWS
Content warning: the below discusses topics that may cause trauma to some readers. This post discusses sexual assault, domestic violence, and the ongoing traumas and violence experienced by Indigenous people, Black people, people of colour, and those from communities that have been marginalized.
A recent news headline published during Family Violence Prevention Month in November of 2022, reads: Domestic violence calls in Fort McMurray dropping to pre-pandemic levels. A cheery drop head added, ‘People getting back to work and out of the house is a significant contributor,’ RCMP corporal says.[1] A headline from another media outlet published during the same month states, Calgary police report a downward trend in reported cases of domestic violence.[2]
This would seem to indicate welcome news — perhaps domestic violence is being prevented before it occurs. Perhaps Family Violence Prevention Month is giving us something to celebrate this year. However, conflicting headlines also abound. One such headline asks, Family violence increases for 5th straight year in Canada. What’s behind the trend?[3] Another from a few months prior reads, Domestic abuse and family violence on the rise in Alberta, organization says[4], referring to reports from Legal Aid Alberta that show “the number of emergency protection orders (EPO) filed by the agency has risen 17 per cent since 2018.” As a rebuttal to the article on the Calgary police report, another headline counters, Declining domestic violence numbers in Calgary do not tell the whole story: experts.[5]
All taken together, it’s a collage of information that seems contradictory and confusing. Is domestic violence on the rise? Or, isn’t it? Are we turning the tide? Or are we about to be hit by a tidal wave?
In Fort McMurray, the northern Alberta city highlighted in the first example, Waypoints Community Services Association has been serving the area since 1982 and supports the needs of survivors of sexual abuse, domestic, and family violence. Michele Taylor, Waypoints’ executive director, has been at the helm since 2013. She led the organization through the fires of 2016 that devastated the city and has seen firsthand how the number of incidents of violence and abuse trends upwards following a crisis like the fires (or, now, a pandemic).
“Our Unity House Emergency Women’s Shelter numbers have more than doubled in 2022 over the same months in 2020 and 2021,” said Taylor. “Before the pandemic, in 2019, approximately 40% of shelter users were ‘in crisis’—meaning they were not escaping domestic violence, but rather experiencing homelessness or some other crisis. Now, over 90% of shelter users are escaping domestic violence in their homes.”
She added, “We have to be very careful of drawing conclusions from limited data, particularly when in-depth analysis may not have been done on the resulting statistics to identify all the variables at play. Domestic Violence is a very complex social issue. Statistics are important, but it would be a mistake to take one set of statistics and believe that they represent an increase or reduction of domestic violence in our region, for example particularly when the domestic violence is emotional or financial rather than physical in nature.”
Does ‘Fewer Calls’ Mean ‘Less Abuse’?
As Taylor points out, we must be cautious about extrapolating too much from any one data point. The fact that there were fewer calls to the RCMP in Fort McMurray in 2022 does not necessarily mean that there are indeed fewer incidents of domestic abuse happening in the region. It does, however, invite us to consider that there are two separate questions behind the headline: how many incidents of abuse are being reported, and how many incidents of abuse are actually happening?
Statistics Canada collects self-reported data about domestic violence through its General Social Survey (GSS). The most recent data available is from 2019, so although it does not reflect pandemic experiences, it nonetheless points to a gap that is worth highlighting: “The large majority (80%) of spousal victims said the violence they experienced was not reported to police. Among victims…reporting to police in 2019 was lower compared with 20 years prior (19% versus 28% in 1999)”.[6]
Intersectional identities create additional layers of complexity. The Statistics Canada report, Intimate partner violence: Experiences of visible minority women in Canada, 2018 does not contain an intersectional analysis of the number of survivors who reported their abuse to police. However, they note that Indigenous women experience systemic violence and discrimination from the police, which may make them reluctant to report. The report also affirms, “There are many barriers to reporting IPV or accessing services, including some that are of particular relevance for visible minority women, and specifically those who are also immigrants. For example, discrimination and racism within the services or systems, geographic, social, or cultural isolation, language barriers or lack of culturally sensitive or appropriate services, fear of deportation due to precarious status, or cultural beliefs that support keeping the family together and keeping matters private have all been identified as barriers encountered by victims of IPV.”
Who Can You Trust?
As the Statistics Canada report illustrates, there are many factors that may contribute to whether a survivor contacts the police about abuse they have experienced. Within families and in intimate relationships, it often happens behind closed doors and can stay hidden if the person experiencing the abuse fears what may happen if they reach out for help. They may worry about retaliation from the perpetrator, from their community, or that they may not be believed. They may worry that their children will be taken from them. They may even question if what they are experiencing is actually abuse, as Taylor points out, especially if it takes forms other than physical violence.
The court of public opinion can be particularly cruel to survivors. The social media frenzy around the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trial earlier this year is a highly visible example of what can happen to women who make allegations, especially against a beloved man in a position of power. Heard was subjected to death threats, threats against her child, and an unending stream of vitriol from the legions of fans loyal to Depp. Imagine a survivor of abuse in Alberta who is reading the commentary of strangers on the internet, maybe even interspersed with opinions from members of her own community who are on “team Depp” – would she feel empowered to come forward after seeing what happens to those who do?
The example of Amber Heard shows that even women in positions of relative privilege can be swiftly punished when they challenge the patriarchal status quo. The police that came to her door “saw no signs that Heard had suffered physical abuse” and did not file a report, closing the incident because there was, in their opinion, no crime.[7] High profile cases like the Heard-Depp trial may have a chilling effect that can undo years of work from advocates who have tried to make channels to justice easier for people who report sexual or domestic violence.
If privileged women like Amber Heard have difficulties finding justice, how can people from communities that have been marginalized expect to be treated? In 2020, the Black Lives Matter Movement brought worldwide attention to the justified feelings of mistrust Black communities have for law enforcement. Grief and rage were very legitimate reactions to the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer. Examples of racialized crimes closer to home are no less horrific; the infamous “Starlight Tours” come to mind, confirmed to be murders of Indigenous people caused by members of the Saskatoon Police Service in the 1990s and early 2000s.[8]
When instances of misconduct are brought to light, from representatives of institutions whose purpose is to protect, it shakes the public’s faith in those systems. In October 2021, news broke that Sean Chu, a Calgary city councillor since 2013 and a former member of the Calgary Police Service, had been found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to sexual contact with a minor while he was a serving member of the force.[9] Chu admitted to having sexual encounters with the girl—but despite the revelations that surfaced during the election, he retained his seat, winning by a narrow margin.[10] While there were protests held to demand his resignation, there were also counter protests from people who defended him. There is a message that is conveyed, and survivors are listening: beware.
While transgressions made by people in positions of power undermine the credit of institutions, sometimes the institutions themselves do harm through their official channels. Systemic racism has a long history of poisoning the waters. In 2021, the discovery of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children at the former sites of residential schools across the country was a grim reminder that Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes by the RCMP to be sent to the schools, where many died or suffered grievous abuse. This was not “misconduct” by rogue officers, but official business sanctioned as part of a genocidal federal policy. It’s no surprise that there is a lingering distrust of colonial institutions among Indigenous communities.
Domestic Abuse Doesn’t Just Happen at Home
Although the Fort McMurray RCMP officer quoted in the CBC News article believes that people getting “out of the house” is at least one of the reasons behind the reduced number of calls, the data tells us that domestic abuse follows people outside of the home. Ultimately, the most dangerous time for a woman is when she about to leave or has left the abusive relationship—it is when she attempts to get “out of the house” for good that she is at the greatest risk.[11]
“People getting back to work” is also no protection against violence. Over 50 per cent of survivors report having experienced domestic violence at or near their workplace[12] where survivors are often subjected—sometimes, fatally—to continued violence and control from perpetrators. Over 70 per cent of perpetrators report being in contact with their (ex)partner during work hours to continue an ongoing conflict.[13]
The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters has been working with organizations across Alberta to address domestic violence as a workplace hazard for over 10 years, to support organizations in meeting their legislated Occupational Health and Safety requirements. The 2018 OH&S legislation recognized that domestic violence and sexual assault are potential risks to all employees within workplaces. ACWS’ Domestic Violence in Your Workplace training (formerly known as Family Business Connect), assists workplaces in understanding, identifying, and mitigating the risks of domestic violence, in order to help protect against tragic outcomes. This year, the project was expanded under a Women’s Economic Recovery Challenge Grant from the Government of Alberta, bringing the reach of the program to small and medium enterprises in smaller urban centres outside the major cities in the province. ACWS hopes to make such workplace training programs requirements for employees of the Government of Alberta, too; they have the opportunity to provide impactful leadership in this regard by ensuring all their employees receive training.
Domestic homicides are the worst possible outcome in cases of abuse, and it is the goal of trainings programs such as this one to reduce that tragic number. It’s a long game, and results may be seen over decades rather than years. Nonetheless, in Alberta this year, the number of domestic homicides was indeed slightly lower than it has been in previous years. In Edmonton, there were 2 (down from 3 the previous year), and in RCMP jurisdictions, there were 12 (down from 15 in the previous year.)[14] Any reduction in these numbers is good news, regardless of the reason, and social change from advocacy and education may indeed have played a part.
The Femicide Census in the UK has a more disturbing theory on why there have been fewer women killed by their current or former partners in the past 2 years:
The Femicide Census has consistently shown that separation is a risk factor for intimate-partner femicides, or more accurately, a trigger for violent, abusive and/or controlling men. Between 2018 and 2019, on average 43% of all women killed by current or former partners had left or were in the process of leaving. We believe the real figures may be higher because women don’t always tell anyone that they’re planning to leave and it doesn’t always get reported in court… In 2020, evidence of separation was found in far fewer cases, reported in 37% of intimate-partner femicides. Looking at the numbers alone, this falls from an average of 38 a year to 21. Lockdown and the restrictions to movement made it more difficult for women to leave abusive men, instead they were often stuck with him. It is possible that this reduced the numbers of women killed by the men they were trying to leave.[15]
The ACWS Annual Data Release
Fewer cases of domestic violence and abuse is the ultimate goal. One of the risks of reporting “downward trends” or a “drop” in calls, without providing additional context, is that the public may mistakenly start to believe that the domestic violence issue has been solved. Activist Barbara Brenner once noted that words matter because “people are far less likely to take action when they believe that a problem has been resolved.”[16]
Domestic violence shelters in Alberta operate on shoestring budgets and rely heavily on donations in order to provide quality services to support their clients, sometimes even to keep the lights on. Although the headlines from Calgary and Fort McMurray indicate there could be changes in a positive direction, the reality on the ground is that the shelters are still currently stretched beyond their resources.
As Family Violence Prevention Month comes to a close, the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters prepares to launch its annual release of shelter data gathered from the previous fiscal year. The data provides a window into the realities of domestic violence shelters in the province and gives insight into the challenges faced by survivors who have taken the brave step to seek help.
The data release provides valuable information on the number of people served by shelters through residential stays in emergency and second stage facilities, as well as through outreach programs, and reports on how many are turned away for capacity or other reasons. In addition to hard data, the report provides context that includes anecdotal statements from shelter workers and clients to more fully develop the picture. Data without context can tell an incomplete story, which is why the annual data release seeks to centre the voices and experiences of ACWS members and the clients they serve.
Following a crisis event, like a natural disaster or a pandemic, it can take years for the true numbers of people experiencing abuse to become known. Now is the time to prepare for shelters that can meet these needs, with investment in infrastructure and human resources. Domestic violence and abuse are complex social problems and the data that is used to document these issues should be used judiciously, and always with input from those who serve on the frontlines.
[1] Malbeuf, Jamie. “Domestic Violence Calls in Fort McMurray Dropping to Pre-Pandemic Levels | CBC News.” CBC News, CBC/Radio Canada, 7 Nov. 2022, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-domestic-violence-family-violence-prevention-1.6641767
[2] The Canadian Press. “Calgary Police Report Downward Trend in Reported Cases of Domestic Violence.” The Globe and Mail, The Globe and Mail, 3 Nov. 2022, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-calgary-police-report-downward-trend-in-reported-cases-of-domestic/
[3] Al-Hakim, Aya. “Family Violence Increases for 5th Straight Year in Canada. What’s behind the Trend? – National.” Global News, Global News, 26 Oct. 2022, https://globalnews.ca/news/9217215/canada-covid-family-violence-increase/
[4] Ekelund, Brittany. “Domestic Abuse and Family Violence on the Rise in Alberta, Organization Says.” Edmonton, CTV News, 14 June 2022, https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/domestic-abuse-and-family-violence-on-the-rise-in-alberta-organization-says-1.5946831
[5] Tran, Paula. “Declining Domestic Violence Numbers in Calgary Do Not Tell the Whole Story: Experts – Calgary.” Global News, Global News, 3 Nov. 2022, https://globalnews.ca/news/9250472/calgary-police-service-domestic-violence-statistics/
[6] Conroy, Shana. “Spousal Violence in Canada, 2019.” Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, 6 Oct. 2021, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00016-eng.htm
[7] Mazziotta, Julie. “Officers Investigated Amber Heard’s Abuse Claim against Johnny Depp but Found No Evidence of Crime, LAPD Says.” Peoplemag, PEOPLE, 27 May 2016, https://people.com/crime/amber-heard-abuse-allegations-lapd-found-no-crime/
[8] “IN DEPTH: ABORIGINAL CANADIANS Starlight Tours.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, https://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/aboriginals/starlighttours.html
[9] “’Fever Pitch’: Rallies for and against Calgary Coun. Sean Chu Held at the Same Time Sunday | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 24 Oct. 2021, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/chu-rally-calgary-sean-calgary-council-1.6223025
[10] 2021 Results – Calgary General Election, https://www.calgary.ca/election/results/2021-results.html
[11] “Femicide Census: There’s a Disturbing Reason for the Falling Number of Murders.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 27 Feb. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/feb/27/femicide-census-theres-a-disturbing-reason-for-the-falling-number-of-murders
[12] Canadian Labour Congress, 2014
[13] ibid
[14] (In press) 2021-22 ACWS Annual Data Release.
[15] “Femicide Census: There’s a Disturbing Reason for the Falling Number of Murders.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 27 Feb. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/feb/27/femicide-census-theres-a-disturbing-reason-for-the-falling-number-of-murders
[16] Morena, Nina. “The Trouble with Pinkwashing.” Define the Line, 20 Oct. 2021, https://www.mcgill.ca/definetheline/article/trouble-pinkwashing