The Ottawa Police Service is using a survey to improve its response to crimes of violence against women.
The survey, designed by University of Ottawa criminologist Holly Johnson, is for women aged 18 and over who have been victims of violent crimes and used the Ottawa Police Service. The extended deadline for submitting the survey is now Feb. 28.
More than 160 women have submitted the survey so far, but the police would like to see 200 submissions or more by the end of the survey period.
Last year, Police Chief Charles Bordeleau made combating violence against women a priority, says Johnson. An advisory committee was established to see what could be done to improve police response to this area of crime. The committee is headed by Acting Supt. Joan McKenna, of the criminal investigation directorate.
The committee decided research, prevention, and policy were the main focuses of the initiative. However, to improve their response to these crimes, police needed to hear from women who had used their services.
The survey is designed to be as accessible as possible, Johnson says. Women can participate in the survey online, over the phone, or in person, whichever is the most convenient and comfortable option for them.
“The data the police will receive is completely confidential,” Johnson says. The results of the survey will be analyzed by Johnson, who will submit the anonymous data to the Ottawa Police Service at the end of the initiative this June.
McKenna says the survey is helpful to determine what areas the police succeed in now, and the areas they need to build on. “If there’s any way we can improve the victim’s involvement in the outcome, if we can improve the services for victims at the beginning of the process, to me, that’s always something we can do better.”
The initiative has several community partners, as well. The Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, Harmony House, and several other women’s aid organizations are providing input to the initiative.
Leighann Burns, director of Harmony House, says the survey will help ensure quality control when it comes to responding to crimes of violence against women. Burns said most of the time, the response depends on the individual officer who handles the case.
“Some women get excellent service, and others get terrible service. Officers must be receptive and supportive of survivors. The survey will hopefully find out what’s going on and where problems develop,” Burns says.
“What I want to see as the outcome of the entire project is greater consistency in the response, from the entire police service. Everyone who has a hand on the file from beginning to end should respond appropriately,” she says.
Johnson said this survey is a rare opportunity for the women of Ottawa to help the police to better serve them in the future. “This is the first program of its kind in Ottawa, and possibly in Canada,” Johnson says.
If you’re a woman (i.e., have lived all or part of your life as a woman) and experienced a violent crime in Ottawa, and reported it to the police, you can complete the survey in person, over the phone at 613-400-0340, or online at: http://uottawa.fluidsurveys.com/s/vawsurvey/en. The deadline for submitting the survey is Feb. 28.