Calgary police indicate increase in inquiries for domestic supports during Family Violence Prevention Month

November is Family Violence Prevention Month in Alberta, and the Calgary Police Service, along with other partner agencies, are bringing awareness to the complex issue of domestic violence in hopes of inciting meaningful conversations about what resources are available for those in need.

Generally speaking, while calls for service pertaining to actual incidents of domestic violence are decreasing, domestic conflict reports received by the Calgary Police Service continue to show an increase, which has remained consistent over the past four years. This means more people are reaching out to the Calgary Police Service for assistance and to be connected with the right supports and resources before an act of violence occurs.

Domestic conflict reporting refers to people recognizing a potentially dangerous domestic situation and placing a call for help. These non-criminal calls can include verbal altercations that escalated to the point that police were called or situations where one party asked police to be present during an interaction with an intimate partner or family member.

“We respond to approximately 20,000 calls a year related to domestic conflict,” says Staff Sergeant Glenn Andruschuk of the Calgary Police Service Domestic Conflict Unit. “Our statistics and reporting continue to show that citizens are calling police and looking for community support before the situation escalates to violence. This allows us to connect them with a variety of resources that they may not know about and help navigate difficult conversations.”

By the numbers:

Domestic violence is a complex problem that can only be addressed when everyone in the community works together to end it. Abuse thrives in silence. We encourage Calgarians to take time this month to:

• Learn how you can reach out and support someone you know, or suspect might be in an abusive or violent relationship.
   
• Be an open and accepting friend if someone discloses their experience with abuse – saying “I believe you” goes a long way.
   
• Talk to your children about what kinds of behaviours are healthy in a relationship and which ones are not.
   
• Donate to organizations that work to support families affected by domestic and sexual violence.
   
• Volunteer with organizations that work to support families affected by domestic and sexual violence.

Calgarians experiencing abuse or violence in an intimate or family relationship are always encouraged to reach out for help. There are countless agencies ready to offer support that can be contacted simply by calling 211. The Domestic Violence and Abuse Helpline is available 24/7 at 403-234-SAFE (7233).

We also encourage you to call the Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 which is available 24/7 and in more than 170 languages from anywhere in Alberta. If phone calls are not available to you, we encourage you to use the Alberta Safety Chat Line, by clicking HERE. This chat line is available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. MST in English.

Victims of domestic violence can also contact the Calgary Police Service anytime by calling the non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or 9-1-1 if you are in immediate danger.