Sask. domestic violence death reviews are late but important, expert says

Saskatchewan is making a crucial step forward when it comes to domestic violence, says Jo-Anne Dusel. Provincial Justice Minister Gordon Wyant confirmed the province will develop a process to review deaths resulting from domestic violence.

Saskatchewan has the highest rate of domestic violence deaths in Canada.

• Saskatchewan to begin reviewing domestic violence deaths

It has been such a productive process in other provinces.- Source

​Dusel is Saskatchewan's provincial coordinator for the Provincial Association of Transition Houses. She has seen how these reviews work in other places.

"It has been such a productive process in other provinces," she told CBC's The Morning Edition.

In Ontario, every death caused by domestic violence is reviewed. Dusel praised Ontario's program to include a public education process. It works with friends and families to figure out what to do if they suspect a person is in an abusive relationship so they can help that person leave safely.

Dusel hopes this new system helps Saskatchewan make concrete interventions.

"Often people who are acting out abusively have come from family situations where that was the dynamic," she said. "They don't know anything else. They think that that's how relationships work. What we need to do is start building some tools and some skills."

According to Dusel, this building process could start as young as elementary school children by teaching them what good relationships look like. The education process should also be done with people who are abusive.

Dusel said the province is getting to this issue a bit late, but she's optimistic. The most crucial part, according to her, is that the province follows through on the recommendations made from these reviews.