Eastern Ontario victim services test new app for intimate partner violence survivors

A first-of-its benignant information instrumentality for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) is being piloted by victim services agencies successful eastbound Ontario.

The exertion features an app and lawsuit guidance package to thief work organizations and clients to stock unafraid accusation astir incidents of IPV.

Among nan organizations testing nan exertion is non-profit Victim Services Peterborough Northumberland. The statement says 80 per cent of its workload involves cases of friendly partner violence.

“Things person go much analyzable complete time, truthful requiring much lawsuit management,” said executive head Emily Poulin.

“Crimes person go much convulsive and group are successful request of much support.”

The app, called “Safe pinch Milli,” was designed by Australian institution Genvis  to thief group who acquisition friendly partner unit to enactment safe and entree supports.

“It has incident logging of evidence,” explains Poulin. “It has information readying features, real-time information features. You tin dial 911 straight from nan app. You tin nonstop your location.”

The different half of nan aviator — case-management software  — is presently successful improvement pinch nan Peterborough area agency’s thief and being tested by unfortunate services successful Kingston and Renfrew County.

“There’s been nary meaningful measurement for america to cod information crossed nan province, conscionable because nobody’s connected nan aforesaid database,” said Poulin.

Two caller arrests successful Peterborough were deemed incidents of friendly partner unit — a shooting connected Saturday that resulted successful 2 attempted execution charges for a man, and a stabbing connected July 4 extracurricular a business led to battle charges for a woman.

Sarah Bass, head astatine nan Peterborough Domestic Abuse Network, says nan caller cases are a mini portion of a bigger picture.

In November 2023, nan City of Peterborough approved a motion to state friendly partner unit an epidemic, joining different municipalities crossed Ontario.

“The point is, it’s happening down closed doors. It’s happening each nan time,” said Bass. “It’s happening crossed socio-economic conditions.”

Ontario Provincial Police opportunity nan immense mostly of friendly partner unit incidents aren’t reported to police.

Data past autumn provided by nan Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre and YWCA Peterborough Haliburton reported that successful 2022, only six per cent of area survivors of intersexual battle reported nan incident to police. One successful 5 group experiencing gender-based unit said they called police.

“Often erstwhile we’re talking to a victim, there’s a batch of emotions that are going connected pinch them,” said Peterborough County OPP Const. Dan Gay. “They’re emotion ashamed that they’re having to scope retired to police.”

Poulin notes nan caller app tin run some online and offline, enabling victims to get thief connected their terms, including successful much agrarian areas.

“The much work providers that are connected committee and utilizing it, nan much connectivity we each have,” she said. “The much those silos break down.”

The Milli app is expected to beryllium disposable to unfortunate services and different agencies crossed Eastern Ontario successful September.

— pinch files from Germain Ma/Global News Peterborough