Manitoba seeing increase in severity of intimate partner violence

Over the last few years, Manitoba has seen a rise in the number of people requiring support for intimate partner violence, as well as an escalation in the type of violence.

Though this is a widespread Canadian issue, Manitoba has some of the highest numbers in the country.

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“It is across the country, but in Manitoba, we do have the second-highest police reported numbers of intimate partner violence,” said Tsungai Muvingi Van Landeghem with the Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters (MAWS).

Muvingi Van Landeghem said there are several factors contributing to the rise in intimate partner violence, including a lack of affordable housing and counselling services.

She added that abusers were also able to maintain more control during the pandemic as people were forced to be in close quarters; however, now that things have opened up, they are afraid of losing that control over their victims, which is causing an escalation in violence.

Do protection orders work?

Last week, RCMP said a ‘horrific act of intimate partner violence’ is what led to a triple homicide in McCreary.

Marlon Glover, 41, died by suicide after murdering his ex-partner’s three family members. The 37-year-old woman who managed to escape had filed a protection order against Glover.

Muvingi Van Landeghem explained that a protection order is a legal document that is meant to protect someone from being in proximity to someone else. She said they are not always helpful when it comes to families fleeing violence.

“It’s a piece of paper and if it’s not enforced, unfortunately, then it really doesn’t do anything,” she said.

“Between limited resources for law enforcement to be able to enforce it, jurisdictional issues as well depending on the community, it definitely makes it very challenging to make sure protection orders are actually effective.”

She noted that people in rural communities face challenges when it comes to intimate partner violence due to unreliable cellphone reception and a lack of transportation.

Muvingi Van Landeghem urges those experiencing domestic violence to find a way to connect to a shelter, noting that MAWS has a 24-hour crisis line.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.