More, safer second-stage housing needed in Alberta

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The results of a two-year study on domestic violence and homicide released by the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters presents a chilling picture of the stark reality faced by many women and children in the province.

Keeping Women Alive—Assessing the Danger reveals that women in second-stage shelters, which provide support for women and children for up to six months after they transition out of short-term emergency shelters, face the highest risk of serious violence from former partners.
"Some of the key learnings and risks that we identified are that women are the most likely to be a victim of femicide—the murder of a woman—when they are in second-stage housing," says ACWS spokesperson Catherine Kuehne Harder.

The study, which was presented by ACWS Provincial Coordinator Jan Reimer to the First Annual Canadian Conference on the Prevention of Domestic Homicides held in London, Ontario, on June 14 – 16, analyzed information from women in 10 Alberta shelters. Data was collected using two methodologies. One asked women to use a calendar to revisit and document domestic abuse incidents in an attempt to see if connections between paydays, anniversaries, weekends or other special events could be made. The other had women complete a detailed questionnaire about the nature of violence or threats they have experienced.

Second-stage shelter users reported more threats or use of a weapon against them, more incidents of physical violence, more threats to harm the children, more stalking or controlling behaviours and were more likely to say their partner is capable of killing them.The study also shows that women and children fleeing a common-law or cohabitating relationship, or recently separated or single are at higher risk of death from their abuser.

"We're finding a link between poverty and violence," Harder explains. "Women can't leave abusive relationships if women feel there isn't an option."

Harder also points to the relationship between the number of times a woman needs to access emergency shelters and the chance she will be killed.

"The report notes that women with multiple emergency shelter stays—between five and six stays—are at particular risk for lethality," Harder says, noting that 91.4 per cent of these women report psychological, emotional and verbal abuse.

Only a year ago, data showed more than 12 000 Albertan women and children stayed in shelters and nearly 14 500 were turned away because shelters were full—roughly equivalent to the population of the entire town of Stony Plain residing in a shelter while the entire population of the city of Fort Saskatchewan remains unable to find safety. The ACWS says that by autumn 2008, Alberta held the dubious distinction of being first amongst provinces for rates of domestic assault, homicide-suicide and stalking, sliding to third place only for domestic homicide.

"Most people are not aware of the extent of violence against women and their children in our communities, our province and even our country," says Reimer. "Between 2000 and 2006, women in Canada were nearly five times more likely to be shot, stabbed, assaulted, strangled or beaten to death than Canadian soldiers and police officers were to be killed in the line of duty over the same period."

Domestic violence isn't limited to the home: 70 per cent of domestic violence victims are also victimized at work. In Alberta, this includes abusers harassing or interfering with the victim's work or even refusing to allow the victim to work. Most abusers charged with domestic violence were found to have used workplace resources to help perpetuate the abuse, using the company phone, the company vehicle and even company time to stalk, bully and harass the victim.

"Workplace violence also puts other workers at risk," Harder says. "If someone goes to work with the intent to harm their partner, it is often likely that someone may choose to step in or try to mediate, and then that person also puts their life at risk. It has happened before, it's very easy to happen again."

Indications are that the problem is getting worse. Last week ACWS revealed that Edmonton Police responded to 31 per cent more spousal violence incidents in recent months, jumping from just over 1000 incidents in the last three months of 2008 to just under 1500 incidents in the first quarter of 2009.

Keeping Women Alive—Assessing the Danger makes nine recommendations, including the need for improved access to second-stage shelters that allow women and children to remain safely housed while creating a new family future. V

More, safer second-stage housing needed in Alberta

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