Posts Tagged ‘victims of crime’

What really happened when Little Red Riding Hood met the Wolf

I wish this were a fairy tale but sadly, it’s all too true. Every so often my white bread world is, to quote a British friend, “gobsmacked” (shaken, astonished, shocked) and this was the case recently when I attended a workshop on the issue of human trafficking in Canada. The event was sponsored by the Downtown East Project and hosted by the Steps to Change Diversion Program. Mill Courtland Community Association in conjunction with the Waterloo Region Police Services, the Bylaw Enforcement Division of the City of Kitchener, along with other community associations, are partners in an attempt to alert the public and various levels of government to the prevalence and severity of human trafficking. It’s an issue that largely flies under the radar of most citizens though I hope this will change in the near future as its cost in human terms is incalculable. Human trafficking is different from human smuggling. According to the RCMP, human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of persons for the purpose of exploitation (typically as sex trade workers for forced construction labour) whereas human smuggling is a form of illegal migration involving the organized transport of a person across an international border for money.

Timea Nagy – Photo Credit: www.walk-with-me.org

Timea Nagy is a survivor of human trafficking and speaks to audiences in Canada and internationally about her experience. It is harrowing to listen to. Timea first became a victim of trafficking when she lived in Hungary. She was looking for a way to make money to help pay debts and was approached by a woman who offered her an opportunity to come to Canada where she could work as a baby sitter. The woman seemed sincere and offered Timea a contract written entirely in English. Timea neither spoke nor read English but trusted the woman. Upon arrival in Canada she was kept at Customs and questioned by officers who were seeing many Eastern European women entering the country under false pretenses. The officers, through an interpreter, explained the contract to her. She was expected to work as an exotic dancer and Timea, disoriented, exhausted and confused was just beginning a saga that would forever change her life.

She was sent back to Hungary but not before meeting up with members of the crime ring sent to meet her. They informed her of her debt incurred through the plane ticket and how she was to pay it back. That night she was taken to a strip club and raped. This was the start of the intentional dehumanization process used to control her mind and her body. Threats to her family in Hungary were made and though she was returned to Hungary, the threats continued in her home country. Feeling trapped, she returned to Canada to work to pay off her debt to the criminal organization. This world was completely foreign to her, literally and metaphorically. Timea, in her own words, was a good girl, whose mother was a police officer and Timea lived a fairly sheltered life. She was completely unprepared for the life she was to face. As she tells it, it was almost impossible to pay the debt because she was charged for ‘expenses’ such as $360.00 for an oil change or $560.00 to replace the headlight for the car used to take her to the club. If she or any of the other girls was late being picked up for their work shift (11 am to 2 am the following day) they were charged $100. 00 per minute. Girls like Timea were afraid to go to the police as some had bad experiences in their country of origin. They were broken down psychologically, almost as one in a prison camp, their dignity was stripped away and they did whatever they were told for fear of retribution but also, because many had lost the will to fight back. They were strangers in a strange land and this sense of fear was used as a form of manipulation and control.

Police forces at all levels have joined together to pursue, capture and prosecute those who traffic in human slavery. This is an international battle as criminal gangs, organized for this specific purpose, generate huge profits that cross borders every day. Many countries are moving forward with legislation and police resources but it’s not easy to get convictions if the victims are too traumatized to come forward or are kept virtual prisoners in motel rooms across the country, driven to strip bars or construction sites where few questions are asked.

Locally, the hope is to create a task force including enforcement groups and those providing recovery and support to develop a comprehensive action plan and strategic approach to help victims and also reduce the instances of this criminal activity.

We often think that slavery no longer exists but, having spent a day learning about human trafficking, it’s clear this evil continues to thrive in societies around the world. If you’d like to learn more, visit some of the links listed below and help join the battle against human trafficking.

I think you’ll be gobsmacked as well. It doesn’t feel good does it?

Additional Resources

• Walk With Me – Timea Nagy
• I’m Not For Sale – Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre, Canada
• An Overview of Trafficking in Persons – Canada

Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.

I miss 1962

For those interested in crime prevention the last couple weeks have certainly given many reasons for reflection. The recent shootings in Toronto at a neighbourhood party resulting in 2 deaths, the shootings at the Eaton Centre and those that are reported regularly in the press certainly make one think that violence and crime rates are on the rise. However, the release of the most recent crime statistics from Stats Canada show a decrease in the overall volume of crime, a decline of 6%, following a steady decrease over time. Sadly, there are increases in homicides (7%), a rise in sexual offences against children (3%) and a sharp rise in child pornography (40%), likely helped along by the ease of technology to traffic in illegal images. Still, the overall decline in crime rates has areas of concern that need be addressed. Organizations at all levels of government as well as several of those unrelated to government work each day to alleviate the common root causes of crime. Acts of unexplainable violence, heavily reported in the media cause fear and apprehension, if not confusion, for the public.

Unfortunately, into the mix come politicians like Mayor Rob Ford of Toronto who mused in a radio call in show about using immigration laws to keep criminals out of Toronto and to send them who knows where. He didn’t specify a location. I think he may have watched one too many John Wayne westerns where gun slingers were told to get out of town (no slight to the memory of the Duke intended). Aside from displaying a woeful lack of knowledge about the laws of Canada, he also seems to have a limited understanding of the powers of his office. Thank goodness our municipal leaders had the insight to create and support the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council several years ago. This body, made up of representatives from local government, the police, social agencies, community reps and volunteers, provides advice and input into policies related to social development issues regarding crime prevention in Waterloo Region. Maybe that’s something Mayor Ford might consider adopting. Instead, he rails at what he derisively terms “hug a thug” programs that deter youth from crime. Are the programs completely successful? Absolutely not. Are they helping many young people, fathers, mothers and agencies live a more productive life? You bet. Much has been written in the news media critical of Mayor Ford’s linking the recent shootings to immigration and his demand for more police for Toronto, “Money Talks, BS Walks”. This bullying bravado is hardly a model of reasoned leadership. It makes a great headline but governing responsibly is beyond headlines and captions. It’s actually hard work.

Then we have Public Safety Minister Vic Toews trumpeting his government’s crime agenda but noting that crime has significantly increased since 1962.

You may remember 1962. Many of you probably weren’t yet born. I was 10 years old. My favourite show that year was McHale’s Navy. I could buy a chocolate bar for 5 cents, I delivered the Pink Tely (Toronto Telegram) which scared me with headlines about the Cuban Missile Crisis, John Diefenbaker was the Prime Minister. Jann Arden was born that year. My parents bought their first house for $15,000. Great year…relevant to the debate? Perhaps, but I don’t see the connection. Many things have changed. For example, the criminal code has changed, laws have changed. The way crime statistics are reported and tracked has changed. And we didn’t have the Internet back then so electronic file sharing of child porn was impossible, it was just a very different time so to draw a comparison in regards to crime rates doesn’t seem to contribute to the debate. One of my favourite movies is “Back to the Future” but, fun as it was, even Marty McFly chose not to stay in the past.

Just this past week the horrific killings in Colorado give us further reason to reflect upon the scourge of violence in our society. There are fierce debates about gun control and the role of violence in the media as contributing factors in this tragedy. The victims all led productive lives up to this point and even the alleged perpetrator doesn’t necessarily fit our preconceived notion of a mass killer: loner, poverty-stricken, poor family attachment, uneducated and so on. It’s early days yet so we don’t know (and won’t for some time) what caused this person to take the actions he is alleged to have committed. What is certain is that there are no easy answers when it comes to crime and its prevention.

There are no “silver bullets”, just ugly copper ones that rip the hearts from people and communities. We can’t allow ourselves the luxury of trying to find the one answer, the quick fix. We can’t expect fully-funded social programs nor increased police budgets to be the one answer. It’s more of a “both and” than an “either or” approach. We can’t blame immigrants, colour, religion, economic status, educational levels or any one thing. Crime is a complex issue and its prevention therefore is equally complex. Rather than react to situations on an emotional level (which is completely understandable for victims and their families) and calling for tougher approaches to crime, as a society it’s important to look at the data provided in the most recent StatsCan report and target our interventions on closing the most obvious gaps. Working with community partners, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council acts as a advocate for responsible policies, programs and legislation in order to help our Region be a safer place to live. The answer is not only with the government, the police or social agencies. It is the collective responsibility of each of us to do our part to build a community less likely to be violent and reactive.

Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.

Penny for your thoughts… Crime is Costly

Crime costs Canadians. It reaches deep into our wallets and our overall quality of life. And who is doing most of this spending? Mainly victims. When we crunch the cost of policing, corrections and courts, we’re looking at $31.4 billion in 2008. For pain and suffering, we’re looking at $68.2 billion. That’s billions people (and if I could stand on top of a mountain and sing these numbers – knowing that you’d all hear me – I would).

Victims are forced to spend, spend, spend. In fact, victims carry the majority of the financial burden, spending a whooping $14.3 billion in 2008. They pay for lost wages, stolen property, medical attention, and the list goes on. Once again, that’s billions.

So why is this important you ask? It’s important because the “tougher” we get on crime, the more we spend reacting to crimes that have already happened.

The more we spend reacting, the less we spend being smart on crime, on investing in our communities, and building resilience in our kids.

Judge Barry Stuart in a radio interview on The Current asked an interesting question and speaks to how we can be smart on crime, “When are we going to stop spending money on the justice system, money that needs to be spent on questions of poverty, education, health, opportunity? These are the things that are going to change the flow of people into our jails”. (Judge Barry Stuart’s interview begins at minute 4:45 in the program).

Now we know that crime and the criminal justice system are expensive to taxpayers, especially victims. But aren’t poverty reduction strategies, more effective education, and increased health care support expensive? And how are we suppose to believe people like Judge Stuart, who tell us that this will reduce the amount we spend on jails?

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy can answer that for us. As a nonpartisan group, they are well suited to develop a cutting edge-model to identify evidence-based policies that give taxpayers the best return on their investment. And it just so happens that the model has extensive experience in the criminal justice system. Their cost-benefit analysis of the criminal justice system (United States) showed that efforts redirected toward proven crime-prevention and treatment programs result in:

• Reduced crime rates AND juvenile-arrest rates in comparison to the US average
• Lower incarceration rates compared to the national average
• Eliminated need for new prisons, closure of adult prison & juvenile-detention facility
• A saving of $1.3 BILLION per two-year budget cycle (there’s that billion again)

When we invest in prevention, we invest in safer, healthier and more sustainable futures for our kids.

Crime is costly… but it doesn’t have to be.

**Additional resource: “Rights for Victims of Crime: Rebalancing Justice” by Irvin Waller.

Author: Kayla Follet – Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Kayla Follett studied at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick where she completed an honours degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Upon graduation she travelled and worked in different community settings. She is now working toward her Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and happily fulfilling her Practicum Placement at the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.

Fighting crime with a stopwatch and a pencil

I read with some dismay that the parliamentary committee created to hear submissions on the Government of Canada’s omnibus crime bill, often referred to as C-10, allowed only five minutes per submission. Five minutes to outline the deep and myriad concerns with this bill. Your time would be up shortly after the introductions. And this for a bill that would make significant changes not only to our criminal justice system, but to the very core of what we believe about rehabilitation, restorative justice and mitigating circumstances. All at an increased cost for taxpayers worried about another recession, led by a government perceived to be fiscally conservative.

While most public institutions like hospitals and schools are required to be more accountable by using the best available research to make responsible decisions, we appear to be seeing a government blind to the experience of other jurisdictions who used a ‘tough on crime’ approach. Even the United States, which has the highest incarceration rate in the world, is increasingly moving to alternative measures in diverting perpetrators from jails. And not necessarily because it reduces recidivism, but because it is simply less expensive to reduce jail time in favour of alternate approaches.

While we all want safer communities, how we get there is a matter of some dispute. Naturally with any proposed legislation there are supporters and challengers. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, not surprisingly, supports the legislation for its focus on victims while the Canadian Bar Association had this to say:

“In our view, the initiatives in Bill C-10 go in a contrary direction. They adopt a punitive approach to criminal behavior, rather than one concentrated on how to prevent that behavior in the first place, or rehabilitate those who do offend. As most offenders will one day return to their communities, we know that prevention and rehabilitation are most likely to contribute to public safety. The proposed initiatives also move Canada along a road that has clearly failed in other countries. Rather than replicate that failure, at enormous public expense, we might instead learn from those countries’ experience.”

You can read the full submission here.

The Bar Association exposes serious flaws in the proposed legislation, namely that it does not address the root causes of crime in any proactive way. It does not deal effectively with poverty, addiction, low levels of educational achievement, mental health, trauma or other factors that will still be there when the offender is eventually released. And all, in their words, “at enormous public expense”.  It seems the Government does not know the difference between ‘spending’ and ‘investment’.

It makes one wonder who wrote the various pieces of legislation that make up Bill C-10. Are they using all the information available to them in crafting the bill? Do they truly understand the impact on correctional facilities and families if this moves forward in its present form? Are they truly consulting widely and listening fully to the concerns raised by citizens and organizations with experience, expertise and understanding about crime?

I don’t think so. It reminds me of a quote from former president Dwight Eisenhower:

“Farming looks pretty easy when your plough is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from a corn field.”

Author: Frank Johnson is a regular guest writer for Smart on Crime in Waterloo Region. Frank is a retired principal with the local Catholic school board, a dad, and sometimes runner who possesses an irreverent sense of humour that periodically gets him in trouble. He lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

Frank Johnson’s writing reflects his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views or official positions of the Crime Prevention Council.

The Omnibus Crime Bill: What’s the Rush?

Fulfilling an election promise, the Government of Canada recently introduced the “Safe Streets and Communities Act” or Bill C-10. If passed, Bill C-10 would significantly amend the Canadian Criminal Code and related legislation. C-10 is an omnibus bill that includes nine pieces of proposed legislation covering changes from mandatory minimum sentences to tougher penalties for selected crimes. The government has promised to pass this Bill in the first 100 days of Parliament.

What’s the rush?

The government is well aware a 30-year obsession with “law and order” in the United States has been politically popular but has actually failed to reduce crime. Facts are facts and the failure of the US “tough on crime” approach (among others) is well documented. Unfortunately, Canadians are debating crime more than the weather these days, blissfully unaware of how much they will pay to implement a law whose major components have been proven failures in other lands.

From a crime prevention perspective such public interest in building safer communities is always a positive development. Everyone has a role to play and we can’t and shouldn’t leave the work up to any one order of government and its institutions. It’s a teachable moment.

That’s why the time frame of 100 days to discuss a major overhaul of the Canadian justice system is completely inadequate. Of course, everyone wants “safe streets and communities”, but in a classic American move this Bill lumps in everything from sexual abuse of children to possession of marijuana. If you disagree with the pot provision God help you because then you must also be “soft’ on sexual abuse of kids. The populist needs of a government should not stop Canadians from assessing how each specific piece of legislation tossed into this soup will affect the balance between prevention, rehabilitation, restitution and denunciation.

Some of the measures (such as Serious Time for Serious Crime Bill and the Abolition of Early Parole Act) will increase the number of inmates in an already over-crowded prison system from 13,000 to more than 17,000. Such huge increases come with huge costs. Adding more than 4,000 more inmates will mean spending an additional $1.8 billion over five years. And that is the just the federal cost. The provinces already pay to incarcerate more than 20,000 inmates at the current status. During a time of vast fiscal restraint such needless pressure on taxpayers to solve a problem that doesn’t exist is excessive and irresponsible.

In the end, the main question must be whether C-10 will in fact accomplish what the government says it will do: increase public safety. Unfortunately the answer is a resounding NO. Substantial research shows that “tough on crime” strategies have neither reduced crime nor assisted victims. And all of this is happening at a time when crime has been at its lowest in decades across the country.

So, let’s recap: during one of the lowest crime rates in history and in the midst of a crippling recession where people are losing jobs in droves the federal government is implementing a scheme that has failed elsewhere at a cost that will more than double Canada’s current public safety budgets.

This is not OK, and Canadians deserve a full and proper debate on each and every component of the omnibus bill.

Author: John Shewchuk, Chair, Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council

Crime. Time. Dime. An Omnibus Poem

With a zang and a zing
The bells of parliament did ring
To signal the new season
Of parliamentary reason

The message was clear
To all who could hear
“Changes in law are coming this fall
Our omnibus is big, our orders are tall
We’ll do what we said, we have the right and the votes,
The cost and the outcomes…. We’ll get to that footnote”

“We’ve got plans for these thugs, these thugs and their drugs
We’ve got a majority – no time for soft hugs
If you can’t do the time
Then don’t do the crime
Please, don’t waste our citizens’ dime
With all your prime time crime”

It’s a puzzle, yes, a puzzle, said the people
Who gathered in places with town halls & tall steeples
And online in real time, they talked about crime
About tougher and smarter, ways to spend dimes

The people said, I don’t understand, you see
Why the big rush for an omnibus accompli?
The people said, I find it so curious
These facts and these claims, all looking so spurious

Curious why…
A fortune is spent for prison invention
When just scraps are left in the name of prevention

Curious that…
There is not time for ‘wasting’ on research and cost
Really? The moment must be seized before the moment is lost?

Curious why…
Evidence, history, stats experts, unheeded
All of whom know that a smart way is needed

Curious why…
We can’t learn from the change that now sweeps the US
Where 30 years of ‘law and order’ caused such a mess
With crime rates at the lowest in history
The toughness of Bill C-10, well, it’s a bit of a mystery

The people, they called and they wrote
They said, hey, we don’t need this omniboat
No omniboat, no omnibus
And we’re prepared to cause a big fuss

They said to the Bill, this is just NOT for us
Where is the prevention in your big omnibus?
We won’t stand by to see budgets flagrantly tossed
As a tough brand of justice is royally embossed

Let’s get smart, smart on crime, said the people
Who all got busy in places with town halls and tall steeples
Working smarter on crime
Seems more worth our time
And easier on the citizens’ dime

So, let’s build a movement, a movement for change
Let’s get creative, a few things to rearrange
We’ve got plans too, for the way things get done
This community is smarter, second to none

Here we go, watch us go
Collaborate
Evaluate
Anticipate
Animate
Invigorate
Validate
Captivate
Authenticate
Participate
Negotiate
Coordinate
Concentrate
Elaborate
Generate
Recreate
Advocate
Integrate
Cultivate
Accentuate
The smarter way to go

Victims of Crime: Support for Victims

This is the final blog post in the victims of crime series. This post points you to helpful resources and links for agencies that support victims of crime in Waterloo Region.

The first three posts included:

• An introduction on victims of crime in Canada
• Roots causes and prevention
• Consequences and the aftermath for victims of crime

There are many agencies within Waterloo Region working to support victims of crime, as well as many provincial and national advocacy agencies working for victim’s rights. Services to support victims of crime can be found by contacting 211 Ontario or Victim Services of Waterloo Region. Many agencies offer counselling and other support.

A few things victims need are protection, information, to be heard and believed and to be treated with dignity. With the support of those close to them, victims are more likely to seek professional support.  With professional support, victims are more likely to define their own needs in overcoming the situation or dealing with the trauma.

A few local resources:
Advocacy for Victims of Crime
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Office for Victims of Crime
Victim Services of Waterloo Region
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region
Victim/Witness Assistance Program
Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region
Drug and Alcohol Helpline

Author: Tracie McGrath-Levis
Tracie McGrath-Levi is a completing a student placement with WRCPC and has contributed previous posts to Smart on Crime. In addition to completing her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Renison College, University of Waterloo, Tracie works full-time with the John Howard Society in Milton. In her role there Tracie works in court four days a week in an adult diversion program and in bail.

Victims of Crime: Consequences and the aftermath of victimization

This is the third in a series of blog posts regarding victims of crime in Canada.  In the second post I mentioned the importance of root causes of crime and building resiliency. This blog looks at the consequences of being a victim of crime and some of the issues they experience.

Prevention is important, but so is assisting victims to deal with the trauma they have experienced. The more likely a victim is to receive support from people close to them, the more likely they are to seek professional help. Having support from people close to victims, and seeking professional help, allows victims to deal with the consequences of being a victim of crime in a constructive way.

One of the major consequences of being a victim of crime is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms include terrifying memories, avoiding reminders of the trauma, increased anxiety and sleep disturbances. These symptoms usually begin three months after the trauma occurs, but may surface years later.

In addition to PTSD, victims may use substances to deal with the consequences of their victimization. Victims may engage in substance use to mask the pain they experience. This is important to be aware of when working with victims, or those with substance use issues.
Resources used in this post:
The Impact of Victimization (Pdf)
The Impacts and Consequences of Criminal Victimization
Correlations between Substance Abuse and Victimization (Video)

Author: Tracie McGrath-Levis
Tracie McGrath-Levi is a completing a student placement with WRCPC and has contributed previous posts to Smart on Crime. In addition to completing her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Renison College, University of Waterloo, Tracie works full-time with the John Howard Society in Milton. In her role there Tracie works in court four days a week in an adult diversion program and in bail.

Victims of Crime: The importance of root causes and prevention

This is the second in a series of four blog posts regarding victims of crime in Canada. In the first blog I mentioned that 2% of the population experienced 60% of all violent crimes. When people experience more than one violent crime this is called multiple victimization. Multiple victimization is why such a small amount of the population experiences such a high volume of the violent crime in Canada.

So what allows the 2% to experience 60% of all violent crime?  Can we prevent multiple victimization for these people? Would the prevention of multiple victimization lower the crime rate? Are there characteristics that make that 2% more vulnerable to violent crime?

Research doesn’t exactly answer all of those questions, but it does acknowledge that certain risk factors are associated with becoming a victim of crime. Research also states that these same characteristics do not increase the likelihood for being the victim of multiple crimes.

If there are no characteristics to help protect that 2% of the population from experiencing multiple victimization, we need to focus on preventing crime. To prevent crime, and ultimately people becoming victims, we need to look at the root causes, something the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council stresses as important. To be smart on crime means understanding why it happens, and preventing it before it does.

Protective factors are also important to prevent people from becoming victims of crime. Some of the protective factors highlighted by the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council include problem resolution, organized recreation activities, possibilities for participation in the community, self-confidence, self-control, and a strong self-image. These protective factors encourage resiliency and autonomy.

When we encourage resiliency and autonomy, we help protect people from becoming victims of crime. This is something that will take time, so how can we deal more effectively with victims of crime in the mean time. What are the consequences of being a victim of crime?

I will take a look at these questions in the next article on the consequences and aftermath of being a victim of crime.

Resources used in this post:
Public Safety Canada
Institute for the Prevention of Crime
Root Causes of Crime Map

Author: Tracie McGrath-Levis
Tracie McGrath-Levi is a completing a student placement with WRCPC and has contributed previous posts to Smart on Crime. In addition to completing her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Renison College, University of Waterloo, Tracie works full-time with the John Howard Society in Milton. In her role there Tracie works in court four days a week in an adult diversion program and in bail.

Victims of Crime in Canada: An Introduction

Being a victim of crime affects the victim personally, and the larger community. This is a series of blog posts about victims of crime in Canada. Throughout the series, I draw on several current resources to help us understand victimization, and why preventing victimization is smart on crime.

We need to understand victimization, and the needs of victims of crime, because of the impact being a victim has on their lives, and the huge cost to society.  As a caring society we need to support victims. We need to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced.

Here are a few things you might not know about victims of crime in Canada:

• Only one quarter of Canadians reported being victims in 2009
• 93% of Canadians feel safe and think they will not become victims
• 81% of assault victims know the perpetrator
• 50% of victims of a violent crime suffer moderate or extreme distress
• The cost of pain and suffering experienced by victims of crime in 2008 totaled over $65 billion
• In 2004, 2% of the population experienced 60% of all violent crime

Information like this raises questions about how to best support people when they become victims of crime. For example, what is it about that 2% of the population that make them so vulnerable to violent crime? What can we do to help them? Can we prevent further victimization?

I will look at these questions in more depth in three additional blog posts. I will take a look at the importance of addressing root causes of crime, the consequences and aftermath for victims of crime and supports for victims within our Waterloo Region community.

Resources used in this post:
Introduction to Intervention with Crime Victims (2011)
Multiple Victimization in Canada, 2004

Author: Tracie McGrath-Levis
Tracie McGrath-Levi is a completing a student placement with WRCPC and has contributed previous posts to Smart on Crime. In addition to completing her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Renison College, University of Waterloo, Tracie works full-time with the John Howard Society in Milton. In her role there Tracie works in court four days a week in an adult diversion program and in bail.