Edmonton foundation calling domestic violence an epidemic, as reported abuse increases

Sarah Courchesne is a domestic violence survivor. After leaving her abuser, she connected with other abuse survivors.

“In 2020, I was actually strangled by my ex just days before I found out I was pregnant with our child,” said Courchesne.

Her own experience, combined with the stories of the people she met, led her to start the Yeg Built for Life Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports women and children leaving abusive situations, including safe exit planning and help with housing.

“One of the challenges I faced was housing. I had tried to leave my perpetrator for six months prior to the assault occurring. I had opened and closed my application with the low-income housing 10 times.”

Statistics Canada estimates that only 20 per cent of spousal violence is reported. In 2023, there were approximately 18,800 reported cases of intimate partner violence in Alberta – putting the province above the average rate in Canada.

In the same year, the reported number of family violence cases against youth and children in Alberta was approximately 17,860.

“I was in court last year, in front of a judge, asking for an emergency protection order after my daughter was returned with a partially collapsed lung and petechiae bruising after she stated that her father had kicked her in the chest two times,” said Courchesne.

“After telling this judge about the intimidation of him almost hitting me with his car the first time I called out his abuse in court, with my daughter returning with strangulation marks on her neck two years ago, the judge would not give me the emergency protection order, because he was more concerned about my ex’s reaction to getting the emergency protection order than actually protecting my child.”

Courchesne says over the course of the last year, she has reached out to the province, hoping to open a conversation about domestic violence in Alberta, and why she believes it should be declared an epidemic. She says she has received no response.

In a statement to CityNews, the office of the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Status of Women said, in part, “Alberta is prioritizing direct investments and systemic reforms to address the root causes and impacts of gender-based violence. Alberta’s 10-Year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence outlines more than 100 targeted actions to prevent violence and support survivors. This includes significant investments in prevention, education, and survivor services.”

Courchesne says, “Declaring domestic violence an epidemic would just solidify the fact that it’s getting worse. They recognize that they need to have more trauma-informed training for these victim advocacy agencies, specifically. They need to have those resources available.”

Courchesne says that through her foundation, she continues to advocate for women and children in abusive situations, hopeful that her work will lead to preventing family and intimate partner violence.