Province gets tough on intimate partner violence

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The Manitoba government is stepping up its support for survivors of intimate partner violence in several rural communities in Westman.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said on Friday the government will expand the use of ankle monitors to include perpetrators of such violence, in addition to criminals and suspects with court ordered conditions.

“I think this is going to be a game changer for communities across this province,” said Wiebe while making the announcement at a news conference in Selkirk.

The program, which launched in Winnipeg in August, is being expanded to several communities, including seven Westman locations listed to receive them — Brandon, Virden, Souris, Melita, Reston, Treherne, and Carberry. It is not yet clear how many ankle monitors will be made available to each of these communities. Communities in Dauphin and Ste. Rose du Lac are expected to receive their monitors beginning Monday, Wiebe told the Sun.

The Manitoba government has allocated $2.9 million for the program over two years, which the province may continue funding based on its success, he added.

“These ankle monitors will help us track offenders and ultimately hold them accountable,” said Wiebe.

As part of the program expansion, 100 monitors will be provisioned across the province, of which “31 are being utilized to date,” Wiebe stated.

Lois Ruston, executive director of the YWCA Westman women’s shelter said the expansion of the ankle bracelet program might offer some peace of mind for survivors of domestic violence.

“There’s an incredible amount of ongoing fear in these situations,” said Ruston. “If survivors can be provided with a little bit of security for them and for their children, hopefully, they can move forward in rebuilding their lives a little bit faster and with a little bit more continuity.”

The concerns that victims have, Ruston added, include worrying about contact orders and seeing that their abuser can be triggering and devastating at times.

And in many rural areas, the longer response time from police can add to the stress.

“Especially (in) rural Manitoba,” Ruston said. “There is a lot more isolation, and there can be a lot more danger, because there aren’t as many people living in the area, in neighbourhoods, or watching out for their well-being. So certainly, I hope that a lot of our rural locations are well represented.”

“Obviously, we’ve seen tragedies in this province. We know that our crime rates … in rural Manitoba, specifically, are high and we know that our rates of intimate partner violence are high compared to the rest of the country,” Wiebe said

When asked about how many of the monitors would be allocated to Westman, Wiebe told the Sun that the government is not directing where they are “being rolled out to, or which communities.”

“This is going to be a decision of the courts, in conjunction with our justice officials, in conjunction with law enforcement and with Manitoba Prosecution services. But this will certainly be a big help for those situations where the courts have decided this is a tool that they can use and law enforcement is ready to work with them,” Wiebe said.

Victims of intimate partner violence will be notified when their alleged abuser breaches court conditions, according to a Manitoba government news release.

The high-tech bracelets include live GPS tracking, an alarm and voice communication, and Wiebe said they can pinpoint someone’s location to within about two metres. This feature would be especially helpful for law enforcement officials in cases where suspects have been ordered to stay away from particular locations.

The Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters (MAWS) welcomed the announcement saying the program will increase safety for victims of intimate partner violence.

Tsungai Muvingi, provincial co-ordinator for MAWS, said the initiative would help keep women safe and ensure their abusers are held accountable.

“By combining technology with proactive enforcement, we take a step toward building a society where women can live without fear and where the justice system upholds their fundamental right to safety and dignity,” Muvingi said in the news release.

Ruston said that while the Westman women’s shelter is not directly involved in any kind of enforcement activity, if asked she would be happy to provide any insight or information that would benefit the program.

“As Domestic Violence Awareness Month wraps up, it’s nice to have something like this, that recognizes that survivors deserve to have some peace of mind, and the support of justice and law enforcement.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com, with files from the Winnipeg Free Press

» X: @enviromichele