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Guest column: Many more Windsor domestic violence incidents than what reported by police

Despite what policing statistics show, intimate partner violence in our community is not lessening, say those on the Windsor front lines of the issue.

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By: Shelley Gilbert, Amy Peirone, Melissa St. Pierre

Re: Windsor police laid 798 domestic violence charges in nine months (Jan. 23)

What do the numbers really tell us?

The Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee of Windsor-Essex (VAWCCWE) would like to provide important context regarding the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) in response to recent news reports indicating a decline in police-reported IPV incidents in 2025 compared to 2024.

Intimate partner violence is a highly underreported crime. Research consistently shows that the majority of IPV incidents — 80 per cent by some estimates — never come to the attention of police. Police-reported data capture only a small portion of the overall IPV picture in our community.

There are many factors that influence the reporting of IPV to police. Survivors may receive internal and/or societal messaging that they are to blame and should keep abuse quiet. Although statistics are clear, the most dangerous time for a survivor is once she leaves the relationship, and many survivors are concerned our current systems are not set up to properly protect them and their children.

Women with precarious immigration status are rightfully concerned........

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