A reminder to remain vigilant about the potential for abuse towards women and children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 20, 2021            1:45pm 

(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Sexual Assault and Child Abuse and Partner Assault Sections are asking the community at large to remain vigilant about the potential for abuse towards women and children, considering they may be further isolated, per the Provincial Government’s Stay-at-Home order.

We extend the message to local community shelters, victim services, immigrant women's services, and crisis centres, and encourage police reporting.

Shelter services in the Ottawa region are available for both Ontario and Quebec residents.

Of concern is that victims of abuse are staying home, and therefore a significant portion of the cases, which would normally come through others, are going unreported. We encourage local Hospitals and Clinics to highlight to their respective communities that they are 'open and safe places for victims' who have been injured.

We understand that survivors of domestic abuse may not choose to reach out to the police. To that end, we are reminding the public that victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse can also get help and support through a number of community resources, including Ottawa’s text and online chat tool, UnsafeatHomeOttawa.ca, available 7 days a week from 8:30AM to midnight. This service is now available in over 70 languages, thanks to the support of their new partner, Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO).

We continue to work closely with partners, including the Children's Aid Society (CAS) of Ottawa, to identify trends and mitigate the risks to vulnerable children. We urge everyone to pay special attention to the well-being of children and report any suspicious incident to the CAS or Ottawa Police at 613-236-1222. 

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CONTACT:

Media Relations Section

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366