If nothing else positive comes from the public inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting by Gabriel Wortman, a clear line has now been drawn between domestic violence and mass shootings.
This marks a shift from the traditional view that domestic violence is something that occurs in private homes – no government (i.e. police) interference wanted or needed.
We have come a long way from the days when the term “rule of thumb” originated – it described the maximum thickness of a stick a man could use to beat his wife – but domestic assault remains a vastly underreported crime, because victims fear they will not be believed or will be further victimized by the legal process. It should be noted Wortman’s common-law partner was at one point charged with assisting him.
Even the name domestic violence makes it sound less serious than violence against strangers – and that is how it has been dealt with by legal authorities until recently.
A case in point is a Toronto police officer who faces charges for ignoring a report of domestic violence. The woman who made the complaint was murdered a few days later by her ex-boyfriend.
The fact the officer faces misconduct charges might be viewed as evidence attitudes are changing. However, it could also be seen as proof old attitudes about domestic violence persist, including among the very people victims look to for protection.
The tragedy in Nova Scotia might be viewed as another case in point.
Wortman did not suddenly snap and go out and kill people. The events of April 18 and 19 started with him assaulting his common-law partner, as he had done on other occasions. Witness had reported previous attacks to police. He had also been terrorizing neighbours and one had reported his collection of firearms to police.
This time the woman who had been abused for years escaped; 22 others did not. The final report of the Mass Casualty Commission stated the details in horrifying detail.
The report made a number of recommendations – 130 of them in the 3,000-page report, according to news reports.
The majority focused on changes needed in RCMP policies and procedures, and rightly so. Some also dealt with semi-automatic handguns and other firearms.
Significantly, there were recommendations that addressed gender-based violence, calling it an epidemic that requires epidemic-level funding for agencies devoted to intervention. There was a further call for men to step up and do their part; women have carried the burden of protecting other women from such violence for too long.
The recommendations come in the wake of a growing body of evidence about the connection between domestic violence and mass shootings.
A paper authored by Lisa Geller, state affairs manager for the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, states two-thirds of mass shootings are domestic violence or are perpetrated by shooters with a history of domestic violence; such incidents have a higher mortality rate than ones in which random people are targeted, something that speaks to the intent of the shooter.
Not every person who beats up a domestic partner goes on to make headlines in a mass murder. However, enough do that legal authorities must pay attention.
Domestic violence is not a benign form of assault; it is a crime that has to be taken seriously, not only for the sake of the victim, but for the safety of everyone else who might be in the vicinity should the violence escalate.
The COVID pandemic resulted in reduced access to social services, forcing people to remain in potentially dangerous domestic situations. The pandemic has faded, but now the lack of housing options is having the same effect. Add to that the chronic underfunding of social services that help both offenders and victims. One can only hope the recommendations involving gender-based violence do not fall on deaf ears.
If you, or someone you know, is the victim of domestic violence, call 911 if it is happening, or contact 211 for information about social services. The Assaulted Women’s Helpline is 1-866-863-0511 toll free, or #SAFE (7233) on your Bell, Rogers, Fido or Telus mobile phone.
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Pauline Kerr is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter currently working for Midwestern Newspapers. She can be reached at pkerr@midwesternnewspapers.com.
