Domestic violence doubles in Thunder Bay

During a six-year span, Thunder Bay's domestic violence rate skyrocketed, and much of that can be blamed on addictions issues in the north, says the author of an article aimed at police chiefs across Ontario.

Thunder Bay Police report that domestic violence in the city more than doubled from 2004 to 2010 — from 1107 calls to 2218.

Chris Adams, a spokesperson with Thunder Bay Police, wrote the article.

He said addictions fuel the city’s domestic violence rate.

"It makes for a very volatile situation," Adams said. "And one that is certainly very hard to get a handle on."

Rates possibly higher

Debbie Zweep, the executive director of the Faye Peterson Transition House, said she sees how addictions affect families every day.

Zweep said she thinks the domestic violence rate is even higher than police statistics reveal.

"Five percent [of families] — maybe a little bit less — ever work with police or access police services," Zweep said.

She noted her organization continues to focus on outreach and working with women and families affected by violence and addiction.

Adams noted that addictions issues also contribute to other criminal activity.

"These are commonly known as the fuel for the other crimes that … really run into in this community," Adams said. "A great deal … are break-and-enters, a lot of property crime and … the high violent crime rate."

Adams said the article’s intent was to highlight policing issues that are unique to northern Ontario. The article was published in the June 2012 edition of HQ Magazine, the official magazine of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.