Calgary Domestic Violence Collective (CDVC) kicked off Family Violence Prevention month with a sold out, full day Bridging Communities conference in partnership with the Government of Alberta. The event brought agencies, individuals, government and police together to educate on family violence prevention while working as a community of advocates.
This week, Calgary Police Service released alarming domestic violence figures highlighting Calgary officers have responded to 2,796 domestic violence calls reflecting a 36 per cent increase over the average. Rates this high have not been seen since 2004. These statistics reflect a disturbing reality for Calgary, in that the city is on-track to have the highest domestic violence rate since 2004. This increase is in addition to Alberta having the second highest rates of domestic violence in Canada.
The increase in domestic violence reiterates the need for conferences like Bridging Communities to work to a Calgary free from domestic violence. Bridging Communities was the first annual kickoff event for Family Violence Prevention month and provided powerful presentations and break out groups to connect, engage and have sector partners collaborate. The morning portion of the conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Lori Haskell, C. Psych. who spoke to the importance of trauma-informed approaches in work related to domestic violence, like first responders and social workers.
Dr. Haskell spoke about the advances in neuroscience which demonstrate memories associated with a traumatic experience are encoded in the brain differently than “normal” memories. Understanding how the brain reacts to a traumatic experience begins to equip first responders and social workers with information on how to work with survivors.
The presentation discussed how to approach trauma informed victim interviews. Trauma informed victim interviews approach the event by asking “what are you able to tell me about your experience” reflecting how the victim wants to tell their story. This approach avoids victim blaming and blaming language and assumptions during the victim interview and throughout the process. If the victim feels unsafe when questioned, they may feel traumatized by the questioning. Feeling unsafe in the system is one of the most significant reasons women do not report assaults.
Dr. Haskell recommended moving to a trauma-informed system where trauma is viewed as a defining and organizing experience that form the core of an individual’s identity instead a single event. The focus is shifted onto the individual to help create the understanding that their behaviors make sense and they are understood as part of a whole picture.
The remainder of the day featured break out groups where attendees learned more on topics related to domestic violence. YW continues to be a proud member of CDVC and is among more than 60 service providers and sector partners who strive to end domestic and sexual violence.
