Ottawa police get an average 18 calls a day for intimate partner violence: Data
Posted Jan 23, 2025 12:32:36 PM.
Last Updated Jan 23, 2025 12:33:57 PM.
Intimate partner violence is an “epidemic” in the nation’s capital, a fact that was confirmed by the Ottawa Police Service’s (OPS) latest data.
According to the force’s numbers, last year officers responded to 6,636 intimate partner violence incidents, 89 more than they did in 2023.
The number of incidents in 2024 resulted in 3,355 charges, which OPS notes in a press release could change due to several cases still being under investigation.
On average, the service receives 18 calls related to intimate partner violence incidents per day, OPS said.
“We have seen a consistent increase since 2021 and believe that being transparent about the rates of violence being experienced by women in our communities is important in order to raise awareness of this deadly issue and create a safe space for an open dialogue,” Melanie Winwood, Senior Advisor-Violence Against Women (VAW), said in the police release.
The majority (79 per cent) of victims killed in Ottawa are female, followed by 20.5 per cent male and 0.5 per cent were unknown.
Officials say police prioritized tackling violence against women last year by starting the risk navigator, a person reviewing cases of intimate partner violence. OPS also became the first police service in Canada to use the term “femicide” to describe the killing of a woman or girl.
Three femicides in Ottawa
Last year marked the first time OPS used the term after an incident.
Police were called to the small neighbourhood of Corkery, just west of Stittsville, on Lady Slipper Way at 6:40 p.m. on Aug. 25 where they found the body of 47-year-old Jennifer Zabarylo’s in her home.
Michael Zabarylo, 55, of Ottawa is facing charges of second-degree murder.
A few months later, on Oct. 24, police would declare the second femicide case.
Brkti Berche, was at a park on Uplands Drive in the morning with two of her four children when she was stabbed to death. Witnesses to the incident not only went to Berche’s aid but also made sure that her two children were protected.
The next day officials charged 36-year-old Fsha Tekhle of Montreal with first-degree murder in connection to the fatal stabbing. He had a domestic relationship with a family member of the victim, Berche, 36.
On Christmas Day, police named the third victim of a femicide.
Officers were called the 1 to 100 block of Spadina Avenue just after 6 p.m. The victim has been identified as 46-year-old Jolene Arreak of Ottawa.
Manasi Foo, 35, has been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder of a second victim who was treated in hospital.
“Violence against women and gender-based violence is an epidemic which affects us all and we are hoping that by releasing this information, we can shed light on the realities facing women and girls in our communities,” Trish Ferguson, Deputy Chief of OPS, said.
Of the cases investigated, police data shows that almost half (48 per cent) of victims were between the ages of 30 to 45. Another large category is those aged 18 to 29 representing 28 per cent of victims, followed by 14 per cent between the age of 46 to 59 and 7 per cent under the age of 18. Three per cent of victims were over the age of 60.
Police note they plan on spearheading more initiatives to combat intimate partner violence, including prioritizing trauma-informed and victim-centred care while dealing with vulnerable people.
The most commons violations seen in 2024 include:
- Assault-Partner Level 1: Assault that does not involve the use of weapons or bodily harm
- Breach Under Recognizance-Partner: A person who breaches indictable offences and is liable to imprisonment or an offence punishable on summary conviction
- Assault w/Weapon or CBH Level 2: Assault with a weapon causing bodily harm
- Harass Communications-Partner: Someone who without an excuse and with the intent of harassing someone repeatedly communicates by telecommunication
- Threats Utter to Persons-Partner: Someone that in any manner knowingly utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat
