Supporting Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) has endorsed Bill 274, Intimate Partner Violence Disclosure Act, 2021, a Private Members Bill proposed by MPP Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) also known as Clare’s Law. In Canada, intimate partner violence accounts for one-quarter of all police-reported violent crimes.

 Equally concerning is the fact that, on average, 70 victims are murdered each year by their intimate partners. These victims are usually women and it is estimated that as few as one in five victims report their abuse to the police. Although the prevalence is undeniable, only 30 percent of these crimes are reported to the police.

As police professionals, it is difficult for us to accept that we cannot protect all Ontarians from unsafe relationships, especially when we are aware of historical detrimental behavior by one of the parties involved. For this reason, we support the three key elements in Bill 274:

1. the right to ask,
2. the right to know, and
3. the right to privacy.

The adoption of Bill 274 could interrupt violent assaults before they occur, offering a layer of protection never experienced before. Differing versions of this law exist in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and more recently in Canada (Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador). The OACP is urging Ontario legislators to keep faith in victims of intimate partner violence and work together to pass legislation to achieve Bill 274’s objectives.