Advocate calls for action after Sask. releases review of intimate partner violence deaths

An expert says Saskatchewan needs to take action after the release of its second-ever review on intimate partner violence (IPV) deaths.

This review, released on Thursday, looks at incidents of IPV that ended in deaths from 2015 to 2020. It specifically looked at 31 cases encompassing 34 homicides and four related suicides.

The report was meant to uncover systemic issues and provide recommendations to prevent future tragedies. It was prepared by three multidisciplinary case review teams alongside family members and loved ones of victims, according to the report.

“We need to stop simply labelling this a complex issue and get to work. There are real issues in this province with alcohol, poverty, views on gender roles, and a lack of proactive solutions addressing root causes,” a member of the case review team said in the report.

The report called IPV a “deeply pervasive issue.”

The review outlines common factors in many cases, such as perpetrators’ histories of childhood abuse, substance abuse and poverty.

It also addresses how many victims tried to reach out for help before their deaths, but faced barriers.

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