MONTREAL —
As Quebec faces a significant wave of femicides, it is extremely apparent how a lot work is left to be accomplished to determine, denounce and finally eradicate abusive and violent behaviour.
Within the Seventies-80s, due to the ladies’s motion, the province grew to become conscious of the pressing want to assist girls residing with home violence. Totally justifiable again then, the pure reflex of Quebec society was to assist girls, who have been the victims of violent companions, to get out of the vicious cycle.
Authorities authorities invested in assist assets, corresponding to shelters for battered girls, that are presently struggling to fulfill the demand.
Whereas the rise in requires assist could be partially defined by the present pandemic state of affairs, the place quarantine, isolation and job loss have weakened girls’s social, financial and household security nets, this downside just isn’t new.
Home violence is unacceptable. It’s about time that we significantly handle the opposite aspect of the coin, that’s, the boys concerned, with out undermining the work accomplished with victims, which is at all times important, now greater than ever.
As President of the Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec, I imagine that professionals in all sectors of society have an essential position to play in stopping, elevating consciousness, figuring out threat behaviours and aiding not solely battered girls and their kids, but additionally the boys concerned, who usually are likely to deny their controlling behaviour.
This stated, within the case of home violence, as with all different social difficulty, facilitators’ efforts have to be supported by social insurance policies targeted on prevention and assist for organizations serving to girls and people whose mission is to assist males with controlling or violent behaviour.
These organizations do glorious work, however now it’s crucial to considerably improve their funding in order that they’ll handle the ever-growing ready lists. We additionally imagine that, throughout all areas of the province, help companies must be made obtainable 24 hours a day, seven days every week, in addition to housing for violent males in want of assist.
The time has come for Quebec males to stand up, mobilize, take cost of their life and acknowledge that Quebec society remains to be primarily based on a patriarchal mannequin the place males nonetheless dominate girls, insidiously, inside human, financial and social relationships.
As a way to break the cycle of violence as soon as and for all, we should rally collectively.
Talking out, loud and clear, will allow males to interrupt the taboos that persist, not solely pertaining to bodily, verbal or psychological home violence, but additionally with regard to a number of the underlying components corresponding to childhood abuse, problem in managing feelings, drug or alcohol abuse, or psychological well being points.
These taboos won’t be damaged in a single day, however it’s a begin. To achieve success, we have to have an open, social debate on the matter.
Males should take possession of the difficulty, acknowledge and condemn home violence even in its most refined kinds, perceive and focus on it not solely with their sons, associates and colleagues, but additionally with their daughters and the ladies of their life.
Girls can not be solely liable for educating and making an attempt to forestall and struggle in opposition to home violence.
In the long run, males should even be a part of the answer.
Pierre-Paul Malenfant, T.S., is president of the Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec.
