‘People don’t feel safe reporting; it’s been like that forever’ Tackling domestic violence

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Cst. Mary Boonstra of the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) said that domestic violence can go “very underreported,” and so the APD would like to shine a strong light on its seriousness.

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“We want people to feel comfortable coming forward and talking to us, especially if there’s something happening and we’re not aware of it,” said Cst. Boostra. “With the files we’ve seen recently, it’s really close to our hearts, and something we’re very passionate about is looking after our people.”

MacAhonic said domestic violence as well as sexual violence are “way underreported”.

“People don’t feel safe reporting; it’s been like that forever,” she said. “So, we actually have a safe reporting room here called the Willow Room.”

MacAhonic said the Willow Room is a safe space for women to speak with a police or RCMP officer at the Ann Davis Transition Society, with a fully trained staff member on-site 24/7.

“And it’s not being used as much as we’d hoped, so I think we just really need to get the word out,” she said. “We also have a legal advocate if people are seeking protection orders or court accompaniment, and we have outreach workers.”

MacAhonic said the organization also focuses on education and prevention and provides services for men to cope with their anger.

“We have men’s counselling, we have anger management for men,” she said. “Our counsellors are clinical counsellors. It gives them the tools to manage their anger before it becomes problematic.”

Cst. Boonstra said that if family members outside of the immediate family are aware of any red flags, immediate action will be taken.

“Unless we hear about it or know about it, it can be very challenging because of how much it’s underreported,” she stressed.

Anyone experiencing domestic violence or concerned about a loved one facing domestic violence can connect with a crisis counsellor by calling the Ann Davis Transition Society at 604-391-1993.