The number of reports to the Youth Protection Department (DPJ) has reached new heights in Montreal in the last year, and nearly one in five is due to exposure to domestic violence. Meanwhile, more than a third of speaker positions are vacant.

The number of reports whose motive is exposure to domestic violence has more than doubled in 10 years in Quebec, revealed the DPJ’s 21st 2023-2024 report, unveiled Tuesday.

“And I think it will be even worse next year,” believes Mathilde Trou, co-head of political issues at the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale, who was present at the announcement.

Since April 2023, exposure to domestic violence has been a reason for compromise in its own right in the processing of files at the DPJ, which has allowed a more in-depth analysis of the problem. This is what the director of youth protection at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Ms. Assunta Gallo, explained at a press conference.

In Montreal, the ratio is alarming: out of 21,084 reports – or 1,300 more than last year – there were 3,813 cases involving exposure to domestic violence.

These findings pushed the DPJ to make domestic violence the theme of its report this year.

The goal? “Bring domestic violence out of the privacy of private places, raise awareness among the population, break the silence, because it still remains a taboo subject,” said Ms. Gallo.

In Quebec, of the 134,871 reports received this year, more than 17,000 have a reason for exposure to domestic violence. Although the total number of reports in the province does not reach the 135,839 recorded last year, it represents an increase of 57% over 10 years.

Data from the DPJ’s 21st report revealed that problems linked to labor shortages in the health and social services sector have worsened.

Out of 101 worker positions for assessing the situation of children at the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud, 30 were vacant last June. This year, six more positions are to be filled.

“The labour shortage we are currently experiencing is still significant,” Ms. Gallo conceded. “Despite the efforts that are being made, I know that stakeholders share with us the pressure they are experiencing.”

The DPJ intends to implement various recruitment methods, particularly among students and staff from other services of the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud.