By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), in collaboration with a diverse array of partners, launched a province-wide campaign Nov. 29 to combat intimate partner violence (IPV). Marking a significant step in public awareness and action, these concerted operations spanned across Quebec, involving strategic interventions on road networks and local business kiosks, including one at Cookshire’s main intersection of routes 108 and 253. This year’s campaign, building on the success of last year’s 90 operations, extends the involvement to various municipal police services and indigenous police forces, amplifying its reach and impact.
“The fight against intimate partner violence requires a unified front,” stated Caroline Girard, Lieutenant Coordinator of the SQ’s specialized IPV team. “Our concerted efforts today, alongside organizations directly aiding victims, demonstrate a powerful collaboration of expertise and resources, reinforcing our commitment to support and protect victims and their families.”
These awareness operations underscore a societal call to action, emphasizing the collective responsibility in addressing and preventing IPV, states a press release. The campaign features the participation of significant organizations such as SOS Domestic Violence, the Federation of Women’s Shelters, and the École Nationale de Police du Québec, among others. This initiative is not just a law enforcement operation but a societal movement, aiming to weave a comprehensive safety net for victims and their children and enhance access to available support resources.
“It is the second edition of this type of operation,” said SQ Agent Louis-Philippe Ruel on the scene in Cookshire before the intervention began. Its aim is to engage those that are not usually reached on the topic of IPV and inform them of the various related public resources at their disposal. With the holiday season approaching, it is important for people to know they must not remain “mute” in the face of IPV, he explained.
He emphasized that incidences of IPV must be reported to the authorities or other organizations tasked with dealing with those situations, whether one was personally involved in the incident or was merely a witness.
“Frédérique”, an intervener at La Méridienne, a local organization with the mission of helping female victims of domestic violence, and their children, participated in the initiative in Cookshire. Her real name was kept confidential for security reasons having to do with her vocation. The organization supports afflicted women and children with all aspects of their situation, including helping them navigate the legal system and with their health, both physical and psychological. She expressed her gratitude that Quebec police forces organized this initiative.
The police and interveners set up at the Cookshire intersection, flagged down cars traveling through, and, handing out pamphlets, spoke briefly with commuters to raise awareness.