White Ribbon Day

Police Commissioner Peter Marshall says Police can attest to the dreadful toll family violence takes on our communities.

In the 2011/2012 fiscal year police attended over 89,000 incidents that were recorded family violence related investigations.

"This year we have initiated 23 family violence death investigations.  For a society that claims to be peaceful, it is a sad statistic," he said.

"White Ribbon Day and the events that lead up to it are important ways for us to show that we, as a society, will not tolerate violence."

"Thousands of white ribbons are delivered to Police stations around the country. staff have been wearing the ribbons and participating in  community events in support of Whtie Ribbon day."

Mr Marshall said Police continued to strive to better understand family violence and to improve the way they responded to it.

"We have this year introduced ODARA, (Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment)  tool specifically for situations where intimate partner violence has taken place."

"This tool will help us better assess individual situations and predict the level of risk involved for reassault.

"If we can predict risk, then we can put in place measures to prevent it," he said.

Mr Marshall said Police would continue to be focused on the prevention of family violence, to safety of the victims, and to bringing offenders to account.

ENDS

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