Fighting Family Violence
Wendy Adams
When I began my career in law enforcement, I had no idea that one day I would become a specialist in the area of family violence. It all started in the fall of 1984, when I graduated from the Atlantic Police Academy at Holland College in Charlottetown with a Corrections Diploma, and started working in the female unit of the Provincial Correctional Centre on Prince Edward Island. Within a very short time, I began to recognize distinct differences between the men and women who were incarcerated.
I soon noticed that women committed different crimes than men. Most of them (mothers like myself) were sentenced to jail for crimes such as fraud or theft, often for the purposed of feeding their children. Women were less likely to be charged with assault, but if they were, it was usually in the context of a domestic dispute where they were trying to protect themselves of their children. Most of the women were also facing family violence issues at home. My education had begun, as had my desire to help create change.
In 1988, I joined the staff of the University of Prince Edward Island Security Police Services, where I am currently employed. Leaving my position as a correctional officer in the female unit was not a decision I made lightly. It was always in the back of my mind that someday I might be able to be in a position to make changes and create an awareness that would help these women.
In February 1995, I got that opportunity when I was promoted to police officer and sworn in as Prince Edward Island’s only female provincial police officer on a municipal force. At that time, PEI had only 12 female RCMP officers. Almost immediately, I developed a continuing relationship with the UPEI Women’s Centre, which was established in 1993 to provide a safe space for campus women facing issues of violence. Acting as a liaison officer between my department and the Women’s Centre has been a very rewarding experience, and the Coordinator (Ruth Freeman) and I have collaborated on many projects focusing on safety and violence prevention.
One of our most successful joint ventures was the creation of the SafeSkills program. Designed to teach students, staff, and faculty very basic and practical skills to ensure their safety, the program includes a look at personal safety in a multitude of venues: date rape and date rape drugs, stalking, responsible alcohol consumption, and a variety of other security issues. SafeSkills is presented at least twice a year, and has become very popular both on and off campus. When a local community collage had concerns about student safety with regard to alcohol consumption, they invited me to present the SafeSkills program to their campus.
My education on issues of violence against women continued in 2001 when my department sent me on a Child/Adult Sexual Assault Investigator’s course. I have also had many opportunities to sit on committees that deal with women and violence, including the Premier’s Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention. I have served as a consultant regarding justice protocols for The Coalition for Women Abuse Policy and Protocol in Prince Edward Island. In 2003, I was honoured to receive the Premier’s Crime Prevention Award in recognition of my work in the area.
A highlight of my career took place in October 2005, when I received a personal invitation to take part in a round-table discussion about violence against women with Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. I voiced my concern over the age of consent in Canada to Jean. At present, the age of consent in this country is 14, and I feel that this age should be increased to 16. If a paedophile is luring a 14 year-old on the internet and the 14 year-old agrees to meet with this person face-to-face, the parents cannot do anything about it because the 14 year-old has technically reached the age of consent. However, if a paedophile sexually assaults the 14 year-old, then the law can intervene. We all know that paedophiles lure their victims first before they commit the assault.
Another concern I brought forth to our Governor General related to women who have addictions and who also face domestic violence issues on PEI – these women do not have an immediate safe place to go. This issue is especially important on PEI as some women living in rural communities are double jeopardized as they face isolation from their situation and also from resources they are entitled to.
We now have one shelter for women on PEI, Anderson House, and it is communal living, meaning that victims of violence who have addiction issues cannot be housed with the children. I agree with this philosophy, but where do these women go? We also have another shelter called Grandmother’s House, which is run by our First Nations Community, and I would assume the same rules apply if children are being housed there too. I have a close family member who has addiction issues, and lives in an abusive environment. It is very difficult for this person to leave, as her common-law partner provides her with drugs, and the system has no place for her to go when she requires immediate shelter. It is a very sad situation and is frustrating for me to watch; however, it also provides me with renewed passion and focus to campaign for family violence awareness.
According to Statistics Canada, 51% of Canadian women, from the age of 16 onwards, will report having experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence. It happens in all our communities, and it requires awareness, vigilance, and a desire to stop it, to make our homes and streets safer. The biggest hurdle to overcome in reducing family violence on PEI is changing attitudes. Once people realize that this is not just a women’s issue, that it is everyone’s issue, then effective change can start to occur.
As a police officer, it is both my duty and my desire to be part of the solution, and it is my great good fortune to work at UPEI where I have the support of the institution and department in my work, and allies such as the Women’s Centre to collaloborate with. Working at UPEI has also afforded me the opportunity to pursue graduate studies, and I am currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Island Studies program. My thesis research will relate to domestic violence issues in rural areas.
While much work still needs to be done, I have noticed a change for the better in this province over the last twenty years. Prince Edward Island has taken this issue very seriously, with its constant family violence initiative programs and on-going family violence training for our law enforcement personnel. I feel fortunate that being in the position that I hold allows me to bring this important issue to the forefront. I hope to continue to keep this issue alive and in the public eye with ongoing educational awareness.
The popular SafeSkills program, sponsored by UPEI Women's Centre and UPEI Security Services, is being offered in two parts this year: Part I (Feb. 20, 6:30-8:00) will focus on practical safety advice for home, on campus, and about town, and Part II (Feb. 21, 6:30-8:00) will concentrate on learning and practicing some basic self-defense moves. For further information and to reserve a space please contact Ruth Freeman at 628-4332 (rfreeman@upei.ca).
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