The Ontario Domestic ViolenceThe Ontario Domestic ViolenceDeath Review Committee (DVDRC)Death Review Committee (DVDRC)

Established in response to recommendations Established in response to recommendations from two major Coroner’s inquests into the from two major Coroner’s inquests into the killings of killings of Gillian HadleyGillian Hadley and and Arlene MayArlene May by by their estranged male partners;their estranged male partners;

In 2002, DVDRC was established under In 2002, DVDRC was established under authority of the Coroner’s Act;authority of the Coroner’s Act;

Our 5Our 5thth annual report was released in 2008; annual report was released in 2008; Our committee currently only one in Canada.Our committee currently only one in Canada.

The Ontario DVDRC The Ontario DVDRC

MandateMandate: To assist the Coroner’s office with : To assist the Coroner’s office with the investigation and review of deaths the investigation and review of deaths involving domestic violence with the goal of involving domestic violence with the goal of making recommendations aimed at making recommendations aimed at preventionprevention of similar deaths; of similar deaths;

Review criteriaReview criteria: Homicides of a person and/or : Homicides of a person and/or their child(ren) by an intimate partner or ex-their child(ren) by an intimate partner or ex-partner who may also have commit suicide partner who may also have commit suicide following the homicide.following the homicide.

The Ontario DVDRCThe Ontario DVDRC

ObjectivesObjectives: :

(1)(1) to conduct confidential, in-depth reviews of to conduct confidential, in-depth reviews of somesome cases; cases;

(2)(2) to maintain a comprehensive database on to maintain a comprehensive database on allall cases to identify trends, risk factors & patterns; cases to identify trends, risk factors & patterns;

(3)(3) to identify systemic gaps or shortcomings so to identify systemic gaps or shortcomings so as to make recommendations for improvements. as to make recommendations for improvements.

Reviews 2003-2007Reviews 2003-2007

Total reviewsTotal reviews: 62 cases, involving 100 deaths: 62 cases, involving 100 deaths VictimsVictims: 94% women; 6% men: 94% women; 6% men AccusedAccused: 92% men; 8% women : 92% men; 8% women Type of homicide eventType of homicide event::

- 39% homicide only - 39% homicide only - 37% homicide-suicide - 37% homicide-suicide - 6% multiple homicide-suicide - 6% multiple homicide-suicide - 3% multiple homicide - 3% multiple homicide - 15% attempt homicide-suicide - 15% attempt homicide-suicide

Reviews 2003-2007Reviews 2003-2007

Type of relationshipType of relationship::- 56% - 56% legal spouses legal spouses

- 26% - 26% boyfriend/girlfriend boyfriend/girlfriend - 18% - 18% common-law partnerscommon-law partners

Length of relationshipLength of relationship::- 61% - 61% 10 years or less 10 years or less - 38% - 38% More than 10 years More than 10 years

Children in commonChildren in common: 58% : 58%

Top 10 risk factors over 5-year periodTop 10 risk factors over 5-year period

#1: #1: Actual or pending separation (79%)Actual or pending separation (79%)#2: #2: History of domestic violence (75%)History of domestic violence (75%)#3: #3: Perpetrator depressed (63%; non-medical)Perpetrator depressed (63%; non-medical)#4: #4: Obsessive behaviour by perpetrator (63%)Obsessive behaviour by perpetrator (63%)#5: #5: Escalation of violence (50%)Escalation of violence (50%)#6: #6: Prior threats to kill victim (45%)Prior threats to kill victim (45%)#7: #7: Prior threats to commit suicide (44%)Prior threats to commit suicide (44%)#8: #8: Prior attempts to isolate victim (44%)Prior attempts to isolate victim (44%)#9: #9: Access to/possession of firearms (42%)Access to/possession of firearms (42%)#10: #10: Excessive alcohol or drug use (40%)Excessive alcohol or drug use (40%)

Preventable deaths?Preventable deaths?

The DVDRC considers a case predictable, and The DVDRC considers a case predictable, and potentially preventable, if there are potentially preventable, if there are 7 or more7 or more risk factors present. risk factors present.

Between 2003-2007:Between 2003-2007: 84% of the cases had 7 or more risk factors;84% of the cases had 7 or more risk factors; 8% of cases had 4-6 risk factors;8% of cases had 4-6 risk factors; 10% of cases had 1-3 risk factors.10% of cases had 1-3 risk factors.……thus, the majority of cases appeared to be thus, the majority of cases appeared to be

preventable preventable in hindsight!in hindsight!

Recurring ThemesRecurring Themes

Multiple recommendations directed at some Multiple recommendations directed at some key areas between 2003-2007, including: key areas between 2003-2007, including: (1) Education; (1) Education; (2) Risk assessment;(2) Risk assessment;(3) Universal screening; (3) Universal screening; (4) Marginalized communities;(4) Marginalized communities;

(5) Intersection of family and criminal law;(5) Intersection of family and criminal law;(6) Coordination of services.(6) Coordination of services.

EducationEducation: : Recommendation #11-2007Recommendation #11-2007

““It is recommended that the Ministry of It is recommended that the Ministry of Education who provides funding for adult Education who provides funding for adult education, alternative education programs, and education, alternative education programs, and regular school programs that may involve regular school programs that may involve young parents, ensure that education and young parents, ensure that education and training is provided to individuals who deal training is provided to individuals who deal with young parents in such programs on how with young parents in such programs on how to respond to suspected or known cases of to respond to suspected or known cases of intimate partner violence among their clients.”intimate partner violence among their clients.”

Risk AssessmentRisk AssessmentRecommendation #14-2007Recommendation #14-2007

““It is recommended that community agencies It is recommended that community agencies in partnership with government should explore in partnership with government should explore the creation of an easily accessible, non-the creation of an easily accessible, non-threatening mechanism for friends and family threatening mechanism for friends and family to get information or to consult with a trained to get information or to consult with a trained individual regarding situations where they individual regarding situations where they have concerns that a woman is at risk from her have concerns that a woman is at risk from her intimate partner.”intimate partner.”

Universal ScreeningUniversal ScreeningRecommendation #5-2007Recommendation #5-2007

““It is recommended that healthcare providers It is recommended that healthcare providers be taught to be mindful of the dynamics of be taught to be mindful of the dynamics of domestic violence and the potential for domestic violence and the potential for lethality, especially when working with lethality, especially when working with patients who have a history of drug abuse, patients who have a history of drug abuse, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, particularly when there is high conflict in their particularly when there is high conflict in their marriage and a history of numerous marriage and a history of numerous separations.”separations.”

Marginalized communitiesMarginalized communitiesRecommendation #7-2007Recommendation #7-2007

““We recommend that first Nation communities We recommend that first Nation communities be prioritized by government to address the be prioritized by government to address the enormous lack of resources available to them, enormous lack of resources available to them, including making available culturally including making available culturally appropriate service providers that would be appropriate service providers that would be adequately trained in providing an effective adequately trained in providing an effective response to the complex issues facing response to the complex issues facing Aboriginal families.”Aboriginal families.”

Intersection of family/criminal lawIntersection of family/criminal lawRecommendation #24-2004Recommendation #24-2004

““It is recommended that before deciding on It is recommended that before deciding on the nature of access, assessment reports for the nature of access, assessment reports for family court judges, prepared by qualified family court judges, prepared by qualified assessors with domestic violence training, assessors with domestic violence training, should be considered. This assessment is should be considered. This assessment is especially valid when dealing with someone especially valid when dealing with someone who has a history of domestic violence as who has a history of domestic violence as demonstrated by a prior criminal record for demonstrated by a prior criminal record for related offenses.”related offenses.”

Coordination of ServicesCoordination of Services

RecommendationRecommendation # #11-200611-2006

““It is recommended that a protocol be It is recommended that a protocol be established to ensure that when Children’s Aid established to ensure that when Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) receive information about Societies (CAS) receive information about domestic abuse from other professionals such domestic abuse from other professionals such as school guidance counselors, that the as school guidance counselors, that the information be forwarded in a structured way information be forwarded in a structured way to all appropriate authorities, including police to all appropriate authorities, including police so that monitoring of such cases should so that monitoring of such cases should involve and link all appropriate agencies.”involve and link all appropriate agencies.”

‘‘No blame or shameNo blame or shame’ culture of reviews…’ culture of reviews…

……a a mustmust if committees are to achieve the if committees are to achieve the 3Cs – communication, cooperation and 3Cs – communication, cooperation and collaboration – a crucial element in the collaboration – a crucial element in the prevention of domestic violence related prevention of domestic violence related deaths.deaths.

Our ultimate goal?Our ultimate goal?

To understand and To understand and recommendrecommend change; change;

OROR

To understand and To understand and implementimplement change. change.

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

Recommendation #1Recommendation #1

““It is recommended that the Ministry of the Attorney It is recommended that the Ministry of the Attorney General take a leadership role in creating an inter-General take a leadership role in creating an inter-ministerial committee that will methodically review ministerial committee that will methodically review all community, agency and government responses to all community, agency and government responses to recommendations that have been made by the recommendations that have been made by the DVDRC since its inception.”DVDRC since its inception.”

Thank you!Thank you!

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