Kawartha Lakes shelter, police working to keep women safe in wake of murders

Since two women were killed by their husbands within 72 hours in Ontario'sKawartha Lakes region 18 months ago, the local women's shelter and police both say they've taken concrete steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Sandra Finn and Wendy Allan were shot by their husbands in separate incidents just three days apart in August 2018. For years, the women lived just a few kilometres apart at Pigeon Lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway, though it's believed they'd never met.

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Nevertheless, their deaths hadchilling parallels: both women were over 50 andtheir killers were over 60; both were shot to death; both had sought help and had thought about leaving their husbands.

"I think the entire community was reeling," said Bella Alderton, program director of Women's Resources, a facility in Lindsay, Ont., that provides counsellingand emergency shelter for women fleeing intimate partner violence.

Complacency went out the window after back-to-back homicides, shelter program director says

5 years ago

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Bella Alderton, program director at Women's Resources, says the murders of Sandra Finn and Wendy Allan hit the community hard.

Finn and Allan had both reached out to the centre for advice. For privacy reasons, the shelter is unable to share what kind of services the women received.

"I would say that if we'd had any complacency or naivetabout older men ending the lives of older women, that went out the window [with the two deaths]," Alderton said. "I do think that there's been a bit of complacency in general. The guy's 60, he's 70, he's 75, he's 80 years old. What harm is he going to do? And I think that sense of naivetjust went, poof."

The shelter and the local Kawartha Lakes police force always had a collaborative relationship, but Alderton saidthe 2018 murders has intensified their link. For example, amember of the shelter staff is now "embedded" at the police station to help with domestic abuse cases.

"We have a designated worker who goes into the police service once a week, and they review any calls that have come through in the course of the week," Alderton said.

"I believe the more preparation, the more resources, the more knowledge and the more plans in place, the better we're able to prevent something from happening," said Kawartha Lakes police detective and domestic violence coordinator Amy Farr, who's been working with the shelter for the past year.

More older women looking to leave abusive relationships, shelter says

5 years ago

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Penny Chatson, residential services manager at Womens Resources, explains some of the reasons why the centre is seeing more older women looking for help escaping an abusive relationship.

The shelter in Lindsay is also experimenting with a GPS device to help keep women fleeing violence more secure. The voice-activated devicecan put a victim in touch with police right away a particular advantagein rural areas, where women are often isolated and therefore more vulnerable.

"This device is actually providing some safety and security. So to that effect it's really, really worked very well," said Alderton, who noted anyone in immediate danger should call 911.

To find assistance in your area, visit sheltersafe.ca or endingviolencecanada.org.