When the domestic violence widespread after separation

For several victims, separation does not mark the end of domestic violence. According to data from the Ministry of Public Security, former intimate partners are responsible for almost half of the criminal offenses committed in a marital context.

Several behaviors, such as harassment, intimidation and threats, are more often than often a former partner than a current partner.

We tend to think that violence will end with separation, but this is not the casesays Me Elise Joyale Pilon, lawyer in the Rebâtir team, a program that has helped more than 20,000 victims of domestic violence since 2022.

She maintains that, in the majority of the files she consults, there are the presence of domestic violence, even after separation.

Separation can be a step towards safety, but it can also lead to an increase in violence. The author of violence will just adopt different strategies.

What is post-payment domestic violence?

Post-seconding domestic violence can take several forms, but, according to Me Karine Barrette, lawyer and project manager to the grouping of women for women victims of domestic violence, it essentially aims to deprive the ex-partner of her freedom by continuing to exercise coercive control.

She describes these different strategies as levers which allow the author of the violence to maintain a certain control over the victim.

It can be threats of physical reprisals, threats of judicial reprisals, it can also be in the instrumentalization of childrenshe lists.

According to the lawyer, post-time domestic violence often aims to encourage the victim to return to a violent relationship. When it does not work, it is not uncommon for the attacker to try to destroy the victim, whether psychologically, financially or physically.

What is judicial violence?

Judicial violence is a strategy used to exercise control over your ex-spouse by means of the justice system. It often aims to exhaust a victim financially and psychologically by overwhelming it from legal proceedings.

It is either by the multiplication of procedures which are not required, or in the exercise of certain rights which are applied abusiveexplains Me Élise Joyal Pilon.

The lawyer reports files where there may be dozens or hundreds of entrances to the plumitive because the author of violence voluntarily drags things. This whole process results in significant costs for the victims.

Children’s custody is a nerveless point in several cases. According to Me Barrette, children are often used as levers by the attacker.

The importance of providing for its release from a relationship

Violent behavior is exacerbated at the time of a separation. It is a time when the victims are particularly at riskexplains Me Barrette.

This is why the regrouping of houses for women victims of domestic violence implores both the police and the relatives of the victims not to rush the exit of a violent relationship.

One has the impression that the victims, when they live in domestic violence, have to leave the relationship to end violence. However, they are best placed to know that this is not the case. They were able to receive threats of reprisals. That’s why a relationship exit, it is planning. You must set up a safety net.

According to the documentation of the group, 75 % of marital homicides are also While separation is imminent.