Intimate Partner Violence

If you contact the police about intimate partner violence, the responding officers will conduct a thorough investigation and a report will be submitted:

• if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has occurred, the suspect will be arrested and a charge or charges may be laid.
• if the suspect is not present, attempts will be made to locate and arrest the accused.
• if the accused cannot be found, an arrest warrant will be obtained.

We will contact you once the suspect has been arrested. Police may become involved the one of the following ways:

• if you or someone else call 9-1-1 to report the incident;
• you report it to the police by telephone or in person;
• a witness to an event contacts the police. 

The Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service will lay charges in all incidents of intimate partner violence where reasonable grounds exist to do so. Reasonable grounds can be established through witness statements, the existence of physical injuries, and/or other physical evidence such as damaged or broken furniture or other signs of a disturbance.

If you experience intimate partner violence at home, you can:

• If possible, leave the home or call police before the violence starts.
• If possible, keep a charged cell phone with you at all times. Be aware that even if you have no minutes on a minute plan, your cell phone will work to call 911.
• If you need to leave your home or workplace, know the best escape routes and practise your emergency exit plans. Teach any children the escape route as well.
• Plan where you can go if you need to leave. These places should be safe locations.
• If possible, make a safe area in your home that you and children can go to when you feel threatened and cannot leave. Avoid kitchens, bathrooms, the garage, and other rooms that contain anything that can be used as a weapon. Don't use a room without outside access.
• If possible, change all the locks on the home and install an alarm system and good lighting such as motion detectors.
• Keep your purse and wallet nearby if you need to leave.
• Keep spare keys to your car and home with you or in a safe place.
• Keep a small bag of clothes packed and hidden.

You can also keep copies of important documents in a safe place, preferably with a friend or family member outside of your home. These documents include:

• birth certificates
• passports
• driver's licence(s)
• insurance information
• bank information
• mortgage or lease papers
• immigration documents
• health records
• school records
• other court documents 

If you experience intimate partner violence, you may want to follow these tips:

• Make your employer and co-workers aware of your situation and ask them to call police if they see your partner around your workplace. Give them a photo of your partner if you have one.
• Direct your employer and co-workers not to give out your contact information to anyone and not to give out your work schedule.
• Arrange for someone at work to walk with you to your car or walk with you from the building when leaving work.

If a problem arises while you are driving, you can:

• Use your cell phone to call police.
• Honk your horn or flash your lights.
• Drive to a police station that you know is open or to a heavily-populated public place such as a well-lit coffee shop.

If you use public transportation, you can:

• Sit close to the driver.
• Have a friend walk you home or meet you and walk you home together.

Always let friends and relatives know where you are at all times. Also let them know the times you are expected home (and be home at those times) so that they can contact the police in the event you are missing. Tell friends, neighbours, and family about the intimate partner violence and create a code word or signal with them to let them know that you need help so that they can call the police for you.

If your experience intimate partner violence and you have children, you can:

• Ensure that your children's schools and/or daycare providers have a copy of all orders, including all restraining orders, custody, and access orders, as well as a photo of the accused party.
• Decide on a code word for your children to let them know to go and get help. Let them know where to go and how to use the phone to place a 911 call to police. Rehearse with them what to do and say.