Greater Sudbury Police report eight daily intimate partner violence calls in 2024—a 38% rise from last year, sparking concern and calls for action.
Rising Crisis in Sudbury Homes
The Greater Sudbury Police Service is now fielding an average of eight calls per day related to intimate partner violence (IPV), as revealed in its 2024 annual crime report. The city recorded 2,857 IPV-related incidents last year—a dramatic 38% increase from 2023 and a 63% surge since 2022.
Growing Need for Intervention
Despite the increase in reported cases, police data shows a slight decline in confirmed IPV cases, suggesting that not all calls escalate to criminal charges. Still, Police Chief Sara Cunningham emphasized that the numbers are only part of the story. “We know IPV is underreported,” she said. “Many victims never call the police. But even with rising reports, countless people remain trapped in abusive situations.”
Proposed Police Strategy Shift
In response, the police are proposing a $147,500 investment over five years in a “virtual community response program.” This initiative would allow officers to respond remotely to lower-risk domestic violence calls, freeing up time for training, prevention efforts, and intensive follow-up on higher-risk cases. The goal, according to Cunningham, is “ensuring that every call is met with the right response—and that victims receive support the moment they reach out.”
Shelters Facing Capacity Crisis
Support systems for victims, however, are strained. Marlene Gorman, Executive Director of YMCA Sudbury, says the city’s 32-bed Genevra House is often full. “We get three to four calls a day from women trying to leave abusive partners. It’s heartbreaking when we have to tell them there’s no space,” she said. Staff are left feeling helpless when they cannot offer shelter to women and children in crisis.
Calls for Provincial Action
Gorman is urging the Ontario government to declare IPV an epidemic—a move she believes would unlock critical funding for emergency housing and support services. “Right across Canada, shelters are at capacity because there’s nowhere for women to go afterward. We’re a bottleneck in a broken system,” she said.
Barriers Beyond Shelter
Affordable housing remains another major obstacle for survivors. Even after escaping abusive relationships, many women cannot find a place to live independently, forcing them to stay in shelters longer than necessary.
As IPV rates rise in Sudbury and across Canada, both law enforcement and front-line workers stress the urgent need for systemic change. More than just police action, they say, real progress will require investment in shelters, housing, and long-term prevention.
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