The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario presents the 2010 Annual Report of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee.

The Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) was established by the Office of the Chief Coroner in 2003 to investigate and review deaths involving domestic violence, and to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths in similar circumstances and reducing domestic violence in general. Since its inception, the DVDRC has reviewed 111 cases that involved 178 deaths. In 2010, 18 cases involving 36 deaths were reviewed by the DVDRC,,resulting in 14 new recommendations. The majority of recommendations are aimed at educating professionals and the general public on specific issues such as how victims can separate safely from their partners, the increased danger with perpetrators that have substance abuse issues and a history of domestic violence, and awareness around firearms in the home, particularly when there is the presence of depression and/or a pending or actual separation. The review of the cases revealed common themes, including:

  • domestic violence and its impact on the workplace
  • the utilization of information and communication technologies to harass or stalk victims
  • increased risks to victims while separating or ending a relationship.
  • Through the release of the annual report and recommendations from case reviews, the DVDRC hopes to openly share the lessons learned and issues identified with the goal of building public awareness and collective action towards reducing domestic violence.

Quotes

“By sharing the recommendations generated by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee with the general public and the justice community, we can collectively work towards addressing recurring issues and trends with a goal to reducing domestic violence in the province.”

Dr. William Lucas
Chair of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee

“The government of Ontario is committed to addressing the issue of domestic violence. The work of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee is integral to identifying issues and making recommendations towards reducing the occurrence of domestic violence and making Ontario a safer place to live, work and play.”

Jim Bradley
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

Source: Ontario Newsroom