'We need to work together': Expert says increasing rates of family violence requires systemic changes
As the Edmonton Police Service mourns two officers killed while responding to a domestic dispute, an advocate that works with people experiencing violence and abuse says the tragedy is bringing attention to the rising rates of family violence.
Constables Travis Jordan and Brett Ryan were fatally shot Thursday morning as they responded to a family dispute at a northwest Edmonton apartment.
According to police, when the pair of officers arrived, they were met by a 55-year-old woman outside the complex. The officers went to the suite where she lived with a 73-year-old man and their 16-year-old son.
When the constables arrived outside the suite, both were shot multiple times by the teen and were immediately incapacitated.
Christine McCourt-Reid, with YWCA Edmonton, says through the pandemic, the incidence rates of family violence have "skyrocketed."
"Family violence can look like a lot of different things to a lot of different people," McCourt-Reid told CTV News Edmonton. "Many people who may not have experienced it before or are not familiar don't recognize that it's not necessarily just physical abuse between two partners.
"It can be emotional," she added. "It can be financial manipulation, it can be any form of control, and it doesn't have to be just between partners. It can be between parents and children or grandparents."
While there are various resources available, stigma, waiting lists, access costs, or not knowing where to start can be barriers to getting help.
"There are capacity issues, definitely," McCourt-Reid said. "I know even us at YWCA Edmonton, we have a waitlist for our mental health services."
By normalizing having conversations about mental health outside of crisis situations, McCourt-Reid believes it can be easier to access help.
"We need to look at a bigger systemic change of making sure that we're not only destigmatizing the need for mental health support and the need to talk about it and the need to recognize that mental health is a priority for people.
"It's really difficult as a parent to watch your child struggle with anything, I think most particularly mental health," she added.
McCourt-Reid recommends looking for sudden behaviour changes, like being more reclusive, and being non-judgemental when approaching mental health.
"A youth who is struggling, who is their safe person," she said. "Maybe, it's not a parent in every situation, but finding your safe person and finding that safe person and being able to confide in them."
For her, it's going to take everyone, from all levels of government to individual community members, to tackle the stigma and accessibility for mental health resources.
"It's not going to be one person, one individual, one organization creating change, we need to work together as a community to eradicate any of these inequities that are leading to violence," she added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.