New North’s Northern Justice Symposium ended in Prince Albert on Thursday with a serious discussion on domestic violence.
More than a hundred people are getting an education on the rarely talked about topic.
On Thursday morning, the gathering heard from a senior policy analyst with Saskatchewan Justice about an investigation the ministry is undertaking.
It is looking for a full understanding of how and why domestic suicides and homicides occur in Saskatchewan.
In fact, the coroner’s office has identified 24 such deaths in recent years that will be involved in the ministry’s research.
There are also efforts underway that show there are options for victims that want to leave an abusive relationship.
North Sask Victims Services helps women come up with safe plans to get out of the household and into a temporary accommodation, or to stay with family.
In the past year in the north, its workers in all regions have taken on 21 cases.
Victims Services representative Betsy Kelly also touched on the limited help they have for men. She says the first thing to do is find the courage to report abuse.
Kelly says it’s not an infrequent occurrence to see files where both partners have been criminally charged.
The three-day Northern Justice Symposium wrapped up on Thursday afternoon.