Police data shows intimate partner violence calls on the rise in Ontario

According to police and community reports, domestic violence calls and reports are increasing at an alarming rate in various parts of Ontario, especially in Lanark and Renfrew counties.

“People are no longer calling to say they’re worried; they’re calling when they’re already in the thick of it,” says Erin Lee, executive director of the Lanark County Women’s Shelter. She has worked in women’s shelters in Carleton Place and Ottawa for more than 30 years, and says the center’s crisis line received more than 3,000 calls last year, hundreds more than in pre-COVID years.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) statistics show that domestic violence reports increased by about 18 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023 and 13.5 per cent compared to 2022. In Ottawa, police statistics show a 9 per cent increase in reports in the past six months.

According to Erin Lee, this increase is due to the increase in cases of violence, their severity and danger, as well as increased public awareness and dialogue in this area. The only positive thing about the story is this new cooperation and coordination between support organizations and the police.

Improved communication between shelters and police

In the past, women's shelters did not have a close relationship with the police, Lee says, but now when victims contact the OPP, the police contact these centers directly and send a support team to the scene.

However, many victims still do not report. According to Canadian government statistics, in 2019, about 80 per cent of domestic violence cases were not reported to the police at all.

A new approach to policing: victim-centered

In Lanark County, a woman who herself experienced violence is now training police officers on how to deal with victims.

"When a woman decides to leave a relationship, she is most at risk. I tell the police these facts.”

She recalls the day of the incident, when an officer sat next to her on the porch for hours and was with her during the initial crisis.

According to Erin Lee, this more humane and victim-centered approach to policing is fortunately on the rise, although there is still a long way to go.

The role of education and prevention

No one knows exactly why domestic violence rates have risen so much; but police believe that improved case handling and increased public trust in the police have played a role in this.

The tragic murder of three women in Renfrew in September 2015 has not been forgotten by society. The official investigation of that incident in 2022 resulted in 86 recommendations and led some municipalities to declare domestic violence an “epidemic.”

Since then, the OPP has recruited 70 special agents across the province who are tasked with investigating domestic violence cases in a detailed and victim-centered manner.

Upper Ottawa Valley, Renfrew and Lanark each have two of these officers.

The Renfrew Victim Services Center also reported a 24 percent increase in referrals for domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Ultimately, says Mary Lee Elliott, executive director of Victim Services of Renfrew County:

“The key is prevention. Teaching kids from a young age what healthy relationships are and making sure there are support services for both the victim and the abuser.”

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