The Campbell River RCMP responded to 42 incidents of domestic violence in April 2020.
Compared to 2019 statistics for the month of April, there was an increase of 19 domestic-related files. According to media relations officer Const. Maury Tyre, that is a substantial increase over 2019, however when reviewing year over year, April 2019 appeared to be an oddity in its small amount of domestic based reports.
For the month of April 2020, a reported 41 per cent of the domestic violence-related calls had alcohol or drugs involved.
“It’s important to acknowledge the role that substances play in domestic violence,” said Const. Tyre. “Unfortunately, we do see couples try to hash out their problems when alcohol or drugs are on board, and it’s just not recommended”
What the alcohol or drugs can do is magnify the already difficult issues in a relationship and then with lowered inhibitions people may not respond in the same way as they would when they are sober, Tyre said.
“It’s always best if there are problems in a relationship to try and discuss those in a calm collected matter without substances involved. Ideally you may want to seek mediation if you have concerns that things may become too elevated,” Tyre said.
Local Service Agencies:
Campbell River Family Services 250-287-2421
Campbell River and North Island Transition Society 250-286-3666 / 1-800-667-2188
Vancouver Island Crisis Line 1-888-494-3888
Campbell River RCMP 250-286-6221 or 911 if emergency.