Survey examines city's violence issues

THUNDER BAY – Violence in Thunder Bay remains an issue without resolution.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit, along with members of the city’s crime prevention committee and drug strategy, has launched the Together We Can End Violence survey, an attempt to uncover the root causes of violence in the community.

It’s hoped the data, once collected, can be used to put strategies in place to prevent violence from happening in the future.

Unfortunately the problem is city-wide, on Monday said public health nurse Rosemary Scofich. It affects young and old, rich and poor and can be found in just about any setting, from the classroom to a hockey rink.

“We initiated the project because we know that violence is very complex. There are some themes and research that talks about unreported violence being quite common. That’s something else we’re hearing as a trend in our community,” Scofich said.

“Knowing that statistics don’t always capture all the violence that’s there, we’re hoping to do that with this survey and get that qualitative piece for the community.”

The questions are wide-ranging, delving into things like safety perceptions, where people feel safe in the community, the types of violence they’ve experienced, services offered in the city and gaps in services.

“We’re also asking about intervention, so what they see as preventing violence in our community is helpful,” Scofich said.
It’s the third-step in a multi-step process that began with stakeholder interviews with agencies and focus groups.

“The themes that we received from those interviews helped shape the survey,” Scofich said.

In recent years it’s not been uncommon for Thunder Bay to be labeled the murder capital of Canada and last December Thunder Bay Police announced that in 2014 officers responded to 2,429 domestic violence calls, their highest number in 11 years.

The anonymous survey can be found online at www.tbdhu.com. It will also be available at locations around the city, including Intercity Shopping Centre and Victoriaville Mall, at different times until it concludes next month.