The Timmins Police Service released its Annual Report for 2015 this week, which includes statistics on everything from collisions, to calls received, to incidents of crimes.
Among the crimes on a downturn in the city include robbery, auto theft, and sexual offences.
One unsettling crime that been on the upswing in the city in recent years is domestic assault.
According to the Timmins Police Service report, in 2015 the following statistics of domestic assault occurred, compared to 2014:
- 177 incidents with charges (a 26% increase)
- 145 males charged (a 31% increase)
- 32 females charged (a 6.6% increase)
Overall, there were 1,086 total Domestic Violence incidents, a 4.1 percent increase.
Timmins Police Service's Corporate Communications Coordinator Marc Depatie is uncertain of the nature of the spike.
"It's difficult to attribute it to any one thing, that's for certain. But the stigma attached to coming forward with a domestic assault complaint, those hurdles have been effectively removed. The Timmins Police force takes great pride in the fact that its officers are fully trained, and aware of the sensitive nature of that type of investigation. So perhaps that's led to a more welcoming environment for people to come forward with their complaints," he said.
Depatie said it could also be a 'happenstantial increase' in the number of calls for service related to domestic assault.
"It is distressing. We are aware of it. Our training is commensurate with the types of calls received on a day-to-day basis. We're aware of this trend, and we're adapting to it."
Depatie elaborated that modern policing demands that they 'meet the needs of the community at all-times.'
"Its important that we focus on those areas that are causing the community the greatest amount of stress and aggravation," he said.
Depatie offered some advice for those who may be apprehensive of coming forward with cases of abuse.
"They have to seek help in one way or another. If you're not to going to come forward to the police service because of a lack of comfort or what have you, then you should seek out guidance from the Canadian Mental Health Association or the Timmins Family Counseling Centre. All of these stakeholders, we have a common goal in mind, to make our communities and our households as safe as possible. As long as you reach out to one of these agencies, so that they're able to make victims of crime aware of what resources are available to them in the city of Timmins. That's a step in the right direction."
The numbers within the report of course, do not include instances of domestic abuse that go untold to police. Depatie said it is very important for anyone who is being abused to act quickly
"People must come forward. Problems simply don't go away by wishing them away, or hiding under the bed. Far too often, these situations tend to escalate in severity, and perhaps the level of violence involved. It has to be staved off in the initial stages. It's the best advice any police agency can give any citizen."
Numerous attempts by TimminsToday to reach a Timmins & Area Women In Crisis representative for comment, were unsuccessful.
