LOCAL GROUPS who work with victims of domestic violence are joining together to help those involved with a focus on high risk situations.
The Terrace High Risk Domestic Violence (HRDV) Inter-agency Committee was started by Terrace RCMP in spring of 2010 and has identified its first case this past July, said Terrace RCMP spokesperson Const. Angela Rabut.
“The committee will focus on families where there is domestic violence that is identified as high risk and/or member agencies have had repeated contacts with the same family,” she said in a release.
“Priority will be given to situations that reflect on ongoing issues of concern for member agencies. Committee goals are to increase safety for women, who are the vast majority of victims of domestic violence, and to increase reporting and safety for men who are victims of domestic violence.”
The agencies involved – Terrace RCMP, Community Corrections, Ksan House Society, Ministry of Children and Families Department and RCMP Victim Services – will identify high risk relationships through information sharing and collaboration and respond to increase safety and reduce violence in the community, she explained.
High risk is defined by the committee as “A domestic violence case where there is concern for serious bodily harm or death to either partner or other parties.”
Domestic violence is defined as “physical or sexual assault, or the threat of physical or sexual assault, toward a person with whom there is, has been, or was perceived by one party to be, an ongoing or intimate relationship.
“Other behaviour, such as stalking, intimidation, sexual abuse, neglect, deprivation, kidnapping, mental or emotional abuse or threats toward children, loved ones or property must be recognized as part of ... domestic violence.”
The definition of domestic violence includes heterosexual couples, same sex couples and those in common law and dating relationships.
The committee will focus on families in the local RCMP detachment area, which includes Thornhill, Gitaus, Usk, Cedarvale, Lakelse, Rosswood and Kitsumkalum.