Emergency response systems have existed in Peel for those who are at high risk of violence for many years. In 2016, Victim Services Peel and Peel Regional Police collaboratively changed their system from a home alarm system to a mobile GPS tracking device, ‘Project Guardian’. Variations of this project exist in many regions in Ontario. Project Guardian functions to improve the safety of those at risk of violence from assaults, human trafficking, hate crimes, and domestic violence. The project consists of extensive safety planning, maintaining contact with the Victim Services Coordinator, and supporting individuals living in Brampton or Mississauga who have reported the violence or threat of violence to the police, do not reside with the accused, and seek out and utilize other safety measures (e.g., peace bonds, restraining orders, or no contact orders). At the time of this resolution, nine (9) GPS trackers exist for Brampton/Mississauga, a population of over one million people, all of which have been allocated to individuals, and a waitlist exists. GPS trackers are provided to individual victims of violence who wish to remain living safely in their own residences after the perpetrator has left or been removed (Peel Police Services Board, 2018; Victim Services of Peel, 2020).
.
In 2018, 44% of women in Canada (or about 6.2 million) reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (IPV). It is estimated that IPV costs the economy $7.4B annually and sexual violence $4.8B (Government of Canada, 2023). Women who experience domestic violence are frequently referred to as victims of violence against women in shelters. Of those who seek emergency shelter, 60% are women. Of those women, 40% attend shelters with their children. In Ontario, 42% of shelters were at capacity, and shelters being at capacity was the reason women were turned away in 82% of situations (Moreau, 2019). A woman or girl dies every 2 days; 800 women and girls have been killed since 2018 (Canadian Women’s Foundation, 2023). Between 2011 and 2021, police reported 1,125 gender-related homicides of women and girls. Of these, 2/3 (66%) were perpetrated by intimate partners, 28% by family members, 5% by a friend/acquaintance, and 1% by strangers. There has been a 14% increase in gender-based violence (GBV) between 2020 and 2021, the highest rate recorded since 2017 (Sutton, 2023). Between 2011 and 2021, police reported 1,847 women and girls who died by homicide; of the cleared (solved) homicides, almost 9 in 10 (88%) involved a male accused (Sutton, 2023).
Due to shelter overcrowding, women and children often have to go to shelters outside of their regions resulting in job loss due to transportation issues, and their children either do not get to school or end up switching schools, adding to their current trauma. The use of the GPS tracker alleviates the need for reliance on shelters and provides some sense of normalcy as victims can safely stay in their homes, maintain their jobs, and remain in their home schools. Despite women utilizing all currently available safety resources (e.g., restraining order, custody order, police), leaving an abusive relationship remains the most dangerous time; pending or actual separation was present in 67% of homicides investigated by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee between 2003-2018 (Office of the Chief Coroner, 2019). This report also identified additional high risks such as a current or past history of domestic violence by the perpetrator (71%), victims having an intuitive sense of fear (43%), prior threats to kill the victim (36%) and the perpetrator having failed to comply with authority (28%). ‘Project Guardian’ provides individuals safety through immediate, informed intervention to reduce the risk of violence, including homicide, and helps to increase autonomy, independence, and stability (Peel et al. (2018). In 2009, 15% of female victims of spousal violence obtained a protection order (e.g., restraining order, no contact, peace bond), and 32% of these orders were breached; 65% of which were reported to police (Sutton, 2023).
REFERENCES
Amin, F. (April 8, 2020). Domestic violence calls surge during coronavirus pandemic. Retrieve from https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/04/08/domestic-violence-calls-surge-during-coronavirus-pandemic/
Canadian Women’s Foundation. (2023, November 14). Gender Based Violence in Canada: Learn the facts. Retrieved from https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/gender-based-violence/
Government of Canada. (2023, November 15). The governments of Canada and Ontario Sign Bilateral Agreement to end gender-based violence. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/news/2023/11/the-governments-of-canada-and-ontario-sign
Moreau, G., (2019, April 17). Canadian residential facilities for victims of abuse, 2017/2018. Retrieved from http://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2019001/article/00007- eng.htm
Office of the Chief Coroner. (2018, December). Domestic violence death review committee 2018 annual report. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/document/domestic-violence-death-review-committee-2018-annual-report
Peel Police Services Board. (2018). Peel Police Services Board public agenda. Retrieved from https://calendar.peelpoliceboard.ca/default/Detail/2018-02-23-1000-Board-Meeting/PSB – PUBLIC AGENDA – February 23, 2018.pdf
Sutton, Danielle. (2023, April 5). Gender-related homicide of women and girls in Canada. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2023001/article/00003-eng.htm
Gunraj, A. and Howard, J. (April 9, 2020). Why is the COVID-19 pandemic linked to more gender-based violence? Retrieved from https://canadianwomen.org/blog/covid-19-pandemic-gender-based-violence/
Patel, R. (April 27, 2020). Minister says COVID-19 is empowering domestic violence abusers as rates rise in parts of Canada. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/domestic-violence-rates-rising-due-to-covid19-1.5545851
