On September 22, 2015, the nightfall in Renfrew was abruptly canceled.
The annual event, held in several communities around the world, highlights violence against women. But that night, the police tape was involved around three different properties of the Ottawa Valley, while families and residents fought to understand what had just happened.
That day, that day, a local man had dragged by the vast rural county, killing three women: Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam.
Later, the news that the abuse of women of the perpetrator was chronic and known by the members of the community, the police and the justice system delivered a new sting and shouting for the change.
“It still feels as if it were a new wound,” said Lori Norwood, director of the sexual support center of sexual aggression and rape of Renfrew County and organizer of the rape crisis and the organizer of the nighttime march in Killaloe.
“Many people still feel very scared, very injured and very protective … it seems that it simply happened yesterday.”
While 10 years have passed since the murders, Norwood and other defenders say that a significant work to improve women’s safety began three years after the high profile Forensic research on deaths produced 86 recommendations. And much of that work has happened at the base level.
‘Holes and Hollows’
Malcolm Warmerdam was 18 when he lost his mother, Natalie, and in the years since his death has become an activist.
“I learned that if I want them to know what should really happen, I need to become the expert,” said Warmerdam, who participated in the investigation. “I know a lot about the failures of our system and the holes and gaps.”
The consultation recommendations requested responsibility, improved systemic approaches, better collaboration and communication between service providers, education, training, intervention and security.
“The changes are happening at the local level,” said Kirsten Mercer, a lawyer who represented the final violence against women – Renfrew County in the investigation.
“We still have a lot of work to do that our communities are safer of gender violence, but there are signs of hope.”
To begin with, 106 municipalities of Ontario, from Kapuskasing to Toronto, have declared an intimate couple violence an epidemic.
It was the first recommendation of the research.
‘Good things have come’
“Action in the recommendations, does not come from top to bottom, but from the bottom up and, ultimately, I think that is better,” said Pamela Cross, who testified in the investigation. He is also a member of the Death Review Committee of Domestic Violence of Ontario.
“People have worked in collaboration in different sectors that do not always get along.”
But the fact that the Ontario government has not declared an epidemic of violence of the intimate couple.
“The current government in Ontario like to think that he is doing all kinds of fabulous things. They are not doing close enough,” Cross said. “Let’s say yes, we have this epidemic in Ontario … now we better look at some of those other 85 recommendations on that list, because clearly if it is an epidemic, it requires a government participation.”
But the changes in the Count Improved relationship between your group and the police.
“Good things have come out of that investigation. We had several municipalities and the county said that the violence of the intimate couple was an epidemic, which opened opportunities for support,” Elliot said.
For its part, the Provincial Police of Ontario presented 70 “abuse problem investigators” throughout the province, hired to ensure that their police work adopts an approach based on trauma and trauma. That includes two officers in the OTTAWA Superior Valley detachment and one in Renfrew.
Julianna Morin, coordinator of the Final Violence Alliance of Renfrew County, says that much more can be done.
“Make sure there are spaces at all levels in Renfrew county where they are heard, survivors are seen and created, and that there is an opportunity for survivors to effectively access and immediately and adequately access the services and supports they need without bureaucracy, without preventable barriers,” Morin said.
Calling it femicide
In recent months, both Ottawa and Kingston police services have called for recent “femicides” murders in their news communications.
This change in language, says Mercer, is a product of the improved relationships between movement and the “partners of the justice sector.”
“Increasing mutual trust and respect in these relationships is essential to make people safer in the community, and I think we can take a direct line from the investigation to some of those changes,” said Mercer.
And although Mercer says that it is too early to celebrate, the fact that the number of femicides in Ontario has been reduced this year could be evidence of these improvements.
A proposed law, presented by the new members of the Democratic Party, asks the Ontario Government to recognize the violence of intimate partners as an epidemic. He also asks the province of the province to establish a Renfrew County Investigation Implementation Committee to consider the recommendations and take measures to implement them.
Bill 55 has approved the first reading in Queen’s Park, but it is not expected to reach the second reading this year. A previous and similar bill died when the elections were called last winter.
CBC asked the Office of the Attorney General if the Government would support bill 55, but did not receive an answer.
Prevention Key
Pamela Cross, who wrote the book And sometimes they kill you On the epidemic of intimate couple violence, he says that prevention is key.
“We are not doing much to prevent abuse from happening,” Cross said.
“We have to analyze the alternatives to the current criminal system, things like restorative or transformer justice models, not to replace the criminal law, but to be equally and offer more options. There are many people who participate in abusive behavior that they do not want to do.”
For any person affected by family or intimate couple, there is support available through Crisis lines and local support services .
If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, call 911.
