Violence

Violence in youth dating relationships is a concerning public health issue. It affects a significant number of young people and negatively impacts the health and well-being of its victims. Young people’s increasing use of technologies means that violent behaviours now occur via social media, messaging services, cell phones, and other technological devices. Youth cyber dating violence, defined as the use of these technological means to control, monitor, or harass a partner or ex-partner, is prevalent in the adolescent population and becoming increasingly well-known. The characteristics that distinguish cyberviolence from “offline” violence, such as its lack of temporal, physical, and geographical limits, underscore the importance of examining this type of violence specifically to better understand the issues associated with it. It is therefore essential to document the practices that aim to prevent youth cyber dating violence in order to determine their effectiveness and issue recomm…

Situations of concern for public safety and well-being

In addition to health concerns directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community has raised concerns regarding numerous factors impacting the population’s well-being. These factors include, to name a few, the economic slowdown, job losses, the disruption of social ties (e.g. social isolation, reduced contact with family and friends, changes in routine, social tensions), changes in substance use and issues related to service access. These upheavals generate stress, distress and anxiety among the population, in addition to making the economic situation more precarious for many. Some groups may be more affected than others. In Canada, for example, the downturn in employment has been twice as high for women as that of men. It has also had a greater impact on young people. At the same time, the impact of the pandemic, lockdowns and distancing measures on mental health and well-being are being increasingly…

The Centre is made up of institutions in the Québec public health network under the scientific coordination of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), which, in conjunction with its mission, establishes links with Canadian and international organizations in order to foster cooperation and the pooling of knowledge.

The Collaborating Centre seeks to contribute at the international level to research, development and the dissemination of intersectoral approaches to promote safety and prevent intentional and unintentional injuries.

• Collaborate in the activities of the WHO and the PAHO.
• Satisfy the needs of the international community.
• Support the Réseau francophone international de prévention des traumatismes et de promotion de la sécurité (French-speaking injury prevention and safety promotion network).

Anticipated contributions:

1. Collaborate on WHO’s program of a…

The Centre is made up of institutions in the Québec public health network under the scientific coordination of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), which, in conjunction with its mission, establishes links with Canadian and international organizations in order to foster cooperation and the pooling of knowledge. The Collaborating Centre seeks to contribute at the international level to research, development and the dissemination of intersectoral approaches to promote safety and prevent intentional and unintetional injuries.

2014-2018 Mandate:

• Collaborate in the activities of the WHO and the PAHO.

• Satisfy the needs of the international community.

• Support the Réseau francophone international de prévention des traumatismes et de promotion de la sécurité (French-speaking injury prevention and safety promotion network).

Anticipated contributions:

• Collaborate on WHO’s program of a…

This guide is designed to help you do an assessment of spousal violence within a region. It proposes a systematic procedure to 1) prepare a portrait of the scope of spousal violence within the study area on the basis of available data, 2) better understand the distribution of spousal violence in that area, 3) identify which groups are most affected, and 4) gain a better grasp of the factors potentially associated with the problem. The goal is to help communities obtain a more in-depth understanding of spousal violence as it is experienced in a particular area and plan effective preventive interventions. The guide also provides a list of interventions to prevent spousal violence before it occurs, which have been implemented in Québec and evaluated.

Basically, this guide is a decision-making tool that can be used on a voluntary basis depending on the situation in the area under study. It is intended for a range of individuals and groups working in the health and social service…

The issues related to access to firearms go well beyond the use of these weapons in criminal activities. Access to firearms is an important risk factor for suicide, homicide, particularly spousal homicide, and accidental death.

Most firearm-related deaths are not linked to criminal activities and involve long guns

• Between 2009 and 2013, an average of 127 people died in Québec annually due to firearm-related suicide. This is 5 times the number of victims of firearm-related homicide.
• Suicide is the leading cause of firearm-related deaths in Québec. In most cases, the suicides are committed in the victim’s home using a long gun.
• Most victims of firearm-related deaths are male, except in intrafamilial homicides.
• Firearm-related deaths occur throughout Québec, but the risk of firearm-related suicide is higher in rural areas than in urban or peri-urban ones.

The scientific literature shows that the pr…

The way in which the media portray spousal violence and intrafamilial homicide, regardless of whether the focus is on reported incidents or the problem in general, can have an impact on the public’s perception of the problem. For example, media coverage of intrafamilial homicides highlights the sudden and inexplicable nature of such acts, leading to the belief that they are almost impossible to prevent. However, an analysis of records from the coroner’s office revealed that in most of the cases covered by this analysis, the act in question had been preceded by weeks, months or even years of conflict.

Some thought should be given to how certain characteristics of coverage in the print media can affect the people concerned. For example, although the articles analyzed generally showed consideration for the bereaved, the desire to assign a motive or to explain an intrafamilial homicide led to an incursion into the privacy of the victims and their families. However, revealing int…

The Centre is made up of institutions in the Québec public health network under the scientific coordination of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), which, in conjunction with its mission, establishes links with Canadian and international organizations in order to foster cooperation and the pooling of knowledge.

This report is submitted each year to the WHO/PAHO and is part of the organization's management and monitoring requirements in respect of the Québec WHO Collaborating Centre for Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention. Exceptionally, this report covers a period of 16 months, i.e. the year 2013 and the first four months of 2014, given that the Centre's 2010-2014 mandate expired at the end of April 2014. The next report will cover a period of eight months, starting with the new 2014-2018 mandate. The report refers solely to activities related to the mandate received from the WHO/PAHO.

Elder abuse is increasingly acknowledged to be a health and social problem that must be addressed. Unfortunately, few recent studies provide a measure of the scope of the problem in Canada. The only Canada-wide study reports that 4% of seniors are victims of elder abuse in any given year. However, the actual proportion is probably higher, considering that such abuse is often misunderstood and under-reported.

It is important that the clinical community play a role in combatting this serious problem. On account of their frequent contact with seniors, frontline health professionals are well-placed to detect cases of elder abuse. However, not all of them are adequately equipped to meet the challenge of recognizing the many different forms of this type of abuse.

This summary is intended in particular for managers and decision makers in the health and social services network. It suggests possible courses of action for promoting early detection of elder abuse by health and…