Protection orders 'don't stop bullets,' Manitoba shelter head says
Nova House director says court orders must be taken seriously in order to be effective
The head of a Manitoba women's shelter says the recent deaths of women who had sought protection orders against their former partners show the limitations of such orders.
The issue has been highlighted by the shooting death of Camille Runke, 49, whose body was found at her Winnipeg workplace on Friday morning.
No arrests have been announced in connection with her death to date.
Court documents reveal that Runke had been granted a protection order from the courts in July against her ex-husband, who she said had been stalking her for months.
Anna Padzierski, executive director of Nova House in Selkirk, Man., said court orders alone can't protect women.
"They don't stop bullets, that's for sure," Padzierski told CBC's Information Radio on Tuesday.
Manitoba Justice defines a protection order as a court order, issued on an urgent basis by a judicial justice of the peace, that forbids the respondent from having contact with the applicant.
A fact sheet prepared by the department says applicants must explain to a justice of the peace why they need an order and "give facts, times, dates and locations of incidents" that show why they need protection.
Padzierski said protection orders are effective "when they're granted, when they're taken seriously and when they're given to women erring on the side of caution, erring on the side of safety, not looking at 'Well, is she telling me the truth or isn't she?'"
Enforcement also key
Enforcement of protection orders is also important, she said.
"If a woman fears for her life — or a man — and the other person breaches that order, if the police respond immediately as they're supposed to, and the person is arrested and charged with a breach, often they do jail time and it becomes a serious incident," she explained.
However, Padzierski said she has seen cases in which protection orders are breached multiple times, including one that was breached 18 times.
In that case, the order required the respondent to stay at least 200 metres away from the woman who had applied for it, she said.
Padzierski said the woman went to the police every time the order was breached "and basically they didn't take them seriously."
"In that case, she is now fine, but it wasn't because a protection order provided her with any help," she said.
"If women think that they have a protection order that that's going to solve their problems, it can be even more dangerous."
Manitoba Justice's fact sheet notes that "a protection order is not a guarantee of protection. No matter what court orders you get, you still need a safety plan."
Province to consult
Another recent homicide prompted the Manitoba government to launch consultations into how protection orders are issued.
Last month, Selena Rose Keeper, 20, died after she was found seriously beaten outside a North End home. Ray William Everett has been charged with second-degree murder in her death.
Court records show that Keeper had applied for a protection order in May against Everett, but her application was dismissed.
The province announced Monday that it will consult individuals who have applied for protection orders, or helped someone apply for one, with the goal of strengthening legislation.