Domestic violence on the rise in Calgary; poor economy a factor

Calgary police say domestic violence is on the rise in the city, and it’s probably because of the economy.

In 2015, officers received 303 more calls compared to 2014, which is 10 per cent more than the year before, and a 24 per cent increase over the five-year average.

“Domestic violence is a very real problem in our community and it crosses all neighbourhoods, age groups, ethnicities, religions and economic statuses,” says Staff Sergeant Rob Davidson in a news release. “We know there is a connection between increased unemployment and increased domestic violence as people who are already prone to violence are home more and are facing significant stressors — and that is likely what we are seeing in Calgary.”

The level of violence is also on the rise, as police also say domestic calls using weapons has seen a massive spike, up 70 per cent over 2014 numbers.

All in all, officers received nearly 19,000 domestic conflict calls last year.

While women were main target of domestic abuse, police say approximately one in five were men.

Jerilyn Dressler, Director of Operations at the Calgary Distress Centre, encourages those dealing with domestic problems to reach out for help.

“Talk to a trusted friend, talk to a friend. If that’s not comfortable, call an anonymous confidential crisis line,” she explained. “Call someone, talk to someone and reach out for help and talk about what’s going on for you, because there is support available.”

Click here if you need help with domestic violence.