Police-reported family violence has dropped under COVID-19 lockdowns, says Statistics Canada data released Thursday..“In the absence of data there was this assumption the pandemic would have a negative impact on the family,” said Peter Jon Mitchell, family director for Cardus, an Ottawa think tank and publisher of a theology journal..“Instead the pandemic has shown us couples and parents do have what it takes.”.Blacklock’s Reporter said the StatsCan report said domestic violence rates fell overall from the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, including a drop in homicide rates committed by spouses. In Toronto alone, domestic violence calls to police dropped 30%..“Pandemic restrictions meant many individuals spent more time at home with family members, often working from home and participating in virtual learning,” wrote analysts..“Many experienced heightened stress due to social isolation, economic uncertainty and other factors. Together, these factors led researchers and victim service providers to expect a significant increase in family violence during the period of restrictions.”.The report indicated violent crime decreased through March, April and May while restrictions were imposed. Declines were found to be larger for women at a 9% decrease in family violence compared to men at a 4% decrease from April 2020 compared to April 2019..Mitchell said the data contradicts earlier claims that families and partners would suffer while in lockdown..“We were led to believe the pandemic would be a disaster in divorce courts and it didn’t happen,” said Mitchell, who indicated there has not been a spike in divorces..“Looking at other data sets, it does appear families are doing fairly well in Canada,” said Mitchell. “Families and marriages in Canada are social institutions that deserve support. The family is still the building block of society even though we no longer think about families as social institutions.”.From the onset of the pandemic, federal agencies predicted greater family breakdown, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau..“Let me take a moment to speak directly to kids,” Trudeau told reporters in March 2020..“You haven’t seen your friends, you’re not able to go to school, you’ve been hunkered down with your parents and you’re watching the world you know change radically. It’s a source of anxiety, it’s a source of tension,” said Trudeau as he encouraged kids to reach out to Kids Help Phone..Kids Help Phone was handed $7.5 million by Trudeau in anticipation of increased distress calls. The organization did not respond to questions on Thursday as to the actual volume of calls in 2020 compared to the previous year..In June 2020, Kids Help Phone CEO, Katherine Hay, told the Senate social affairs committee family violence had increased due to COVID lockdowns and had the data to prove it..“When we’re in COVID and kids are in isolation — and I see the data in front of me right now — young people are not necessarily safe in their homes, that they should feel safe,” said Hay. “It is not okay.”.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
