Spousal violence cases on the rise
Not only has the number of reports to the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (DYP) reached new heights in Montreal in the past year, but nearly one in five is due to exposure to domestic violence. And during this time, more than a third of the positions of speakers are vacant.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Last year, this total was 19,727.
This increase could be explained by "the crumbling of the social fabric around families," explained the director of youth protection at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Ms. Assunta Gallo, at a press conference.
In Quebec, the news is better. A total of 134,871 reports were received in the last 12 months, a slight decrease compared to last year. But this year's total still represents a 57% increase over the past 10 years.
For the office of the minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, this is still a step forward, says his press secretary, Lambert Drainville. This is the first time that the total number of reports in the province has decreased in almost 20 years.
This is the second year in a row that there has been a decrease in the number of reports that are retained, said the National Director of Youth Protection, Catherine Lemay. This year, just over 42,000 reports have been retained.
"This means that we are able to better filter situations before they enter the entire youth protection process," she explains.
Annual report of Montreal youth protection directors Assunta Gallo (CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal) and Linda See (CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal)
Domestic violenceAnother finding of the report: the number of reports whose reason is exposure to domestic violence has more than doubled in 10 years in Quebec. There are more than 17,000 in 2023-2024.
"And I think it will be even worse next year," says Mathilde Trou, co-head of political issues at the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale, who was present at the announcement.
Since April 2023, exposure to domestic violence has been a reason for compromise in its own right to report to the DYP. Prior to this change, exposure to spousal violence was a subcategory of emotional maltreatment.
This amendment to the law allowed for a more in-depth analysis of the problem and the implementation of a specific approach to the needs of domestic violence, said Ms. Gallo.
In Montreal, the ratio is alarming: there are 3813 reports of exposure to domestic violence, or 18% of cases.
This is 440 more cases than last year.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The number of reports to the DYP in Montreal has increased this year, from 19,727 to 21,084 reports. In Quebec, there were 134,871 reports in total, a slight decrease compared to last year. Just over 42,000 cases have been processed.
- Reports whose reason is exposure to domestic violence have more than doubled in 10 years: they concern nearly one in five reports in Montreal this year.
- There is a shortage of 36 out of 101 workers at the Montreal DYP, six more than last year: a shortage that is being observed throughout the province, according to the APTS.
Last year, this total was 19,727.
This increase could be explained by "the crumbling of the social fabric around families," explained the director of youth protection at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Ms. Assunta Gallo, at a press conference.
In Quebec, the news is better. A total of 134,871 reports were received in the last 12 months, a slight decrease compared to last year. But this year's total still represents a 57% increase over the past 10 years.
For the office of the minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant, this is still a step forward, says his press secretary, Lambert Drainville. This is the first time that the total number of reports in the province has decreased in almost 20 years.
This is the second year in a row that there has been a decrease in the number of reports that are retained, said the National Director of Youth Protection, Catherine Lemay. This year, just over 42,000 reports have been retained.
"This means that we are able to better filter situations before they enter the entire youth protection process," she explains.
Annual report of Montreal youth protection directors Assunta Gallo (CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal) and Linda See (CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal)
Domestic violenceAnother finding of the report: the number of reports whose reason is exposure to domestic violence has more than doubled in 10 years in Quebec. There are more than 17,000 in 2023-2024.
"And I think it will be even worse next year," says Mathilde Trou, co-head of political issues at the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale, who was present at the announcement.
Since April 2023, exposure to domestic violence has been a reason for compromise in its own right to report to the DYP. Prior to this change, exposure to spousal violence was a subcategory of emotional maltreatment.
This amendment to the law allowed for a more in-depth analysis of the problem and the implementation of a specific approach to the needs of domestic violence, said Ms. Gallo.
In Montreal, the ratio is alarming: there are 3813 reports of exposure to domestic violence, or 18% of cases.
This is 440 more cases than last year.
These data have prompted the DYP to make domestic violence the theme of its report this year.
The objective? "Take domestic violence out of the privacy of private places, raise awareness among the population, break the silence, because it still remains a taboo subject," said Ms. Gallo.
Surprisingly, there has also been a 22% increase in police reports compared to last year.
According toMs. Trou, it is possible that this increase is linked to better knowledge of the signals that indicate the presence of domestic violence during a police intervention.
Staff shortageData from the DYP's21st report revealed that the problems related to the labour shortage in the
social services sector have worsened in Montreal.
Out of 101 positions for the evaluation of the situation of children at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud, which oversees the DYP in Montreal, 30 were vacant last June. This year, six more positions are to be filled, i.e. a little more than a third.
"It's still important, the labour shortage we're currently experiencing," conceded Ms. Gallo. Despite the efforts that are being made, I know that the stakeholders share the pressure they are experiencing. »
Assunta Gallo
The same phenomenon can be observed across the province, notes Sébastien Pitre, national youth protection officer and treasurer of the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS). The proportion of vacancies, in extreme cases, can even be as high as 75%.
In Sept-Îles, for example, three workers do the work of 14 people, he notes. And one of them will leave for another sector soon.
"[The question] is not whether a person will be off work or not, but when. And the workload and the overload of work make it unattractive to someone who finishes school," he adds.
The DYP also intends to implement various recruitment methods, particularly among students and staff from other services of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud. Their presence would make it possible to carry out tasks external to the evaluation of cases at the DYP.
Salary, diversity of clientele, increase in mental health problems, gaps in training: "Put yourself in the shoes of a young person who is finishing secondary 5. When he looks at how the health and social services are doing, is it attractive? Not really. Pitre concludes.
The objective? "Take domestic violence out of the privacy of private places, raise awareness among the population, break the silence, because it still remains a taboo subject," said Ms. Gallo.
Surprisingly, there has also been a 22% increase in police reports compared to last year.
According toMs. Trou, it is possible that this increase is linked to better knowledge of the signals that indicate the presence of domestic violence during a police intervention.
Staff shortageData from the DYP's21st report revealed that the problems related to the labour shortage in the
social services sector have worsened in Montreal.
Out of 101 positions for the evaluation of the situation of children at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud, which oversees the DYP in Montreal, 30 were vacant last June. This year, six more positions are to be filled, i.e. a little more than a third.
"It's still important, the labour shortage we're currently experiencing," conceded Ms. Gallo. Despite the efforts that are being made, I know that the stakeholders share the pressure they are experiencing. »
Assunta Gallo
The same phenomenon can be observed across the province, notes Sébastien Pitre, national youth protection officer and treasurer of the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS). The proportion of vacancies, in extreme cases, can even be as high as 75%.
In Sept-Îles, for example, three workers do the work of 14 people, he notes. And one of them will leave for another sector soon.
"[The question] is not whether a person will be off work or not, but when. And the workload and the overload of work make it unattractive to someone who finishes school," he adds.
The DYP also intends to implement various recruitment methods, particularly among students and staff from other services of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud. Their presence would make it possible to carry out tasks external to the evaluation of cases at the DYP.
Salary, diversity of clientele, increase in mental health problems, gaps in training: "Put yourself in the shoes of a young person who is finishing secondary 5. When he looks at how the health and social services are doing, is it attractive? Not really. Pitre concludes.
