From time to time we get calls from women seeking help because they fear for their personal safety and/or the safety of their children.  In situations where violence has or continues to occur the first step is to get out.  If that means calling 911 for help or escaping to a womens shelter than that is what you do. You cannot resolve your problems or protect your children if you stay in an abusive (dangerous) environment.

What if you have no where to go?

Some women stay because they feel they have no where else to go.

Rather than deciding to tough it out (the statistics on death at the hands of a spouse or partner show this is not a good idea), if you are in an abusive relationship and need to get out you have options.  Shelternet is one.  As their website explains, Shelternet

was created to provide reliable and up-to-date information for abused women, their family, friends, and colleagues in Canada. Please browse the website or take a look through our special sections on topics such as understanding abuse, find a shelter, or abuse and children.

There is information on the Shelternet site designed for the specific needs of teens, children, family + friend (support information).

To access Shelternet in:  French, Spanish, Polish, Vietanamese, Chinese, Arabic, Farsi and Punjabi go to Shelternet Translations.

Alternatively you can contact the Transition House closest to where you live. The number one priority is your personal safety and that of your children.  You can consider your options after you are in safe place.

A Transition House provides:

• a safe place for you and your children
• food and other necessities
• temporary shelter
• support in getting financial, medical or legal help
• emotional help and counselling

The Legal Services Society Family Law Website also has information on dealing with abuse.

Some things you can do if the police won’t do anything

In some cases you may have already reported the matter to the police and have been told there is insufficient evidence to take any action against the person making the threats.  Obviously, if you are being threatened with violence, stalked or you are fearful because you are being harassed this is both extremely frightening and frustrating.

However, there are some steps you can take to empower and protect yourself.  The following list with links provides some ideas to get you started:

Suggestions and strategies to increase your safety if you feel intimidated, threatened or you think you are being stalked

Need protection from someone who has physically abused you or is threatening to do so?  Review detailed info on peace bonds, restraining orders and no contact orders or you can read the LSS Fact sheet (which is also translated) here Fact Sheet.

Further information and resources dealing with family situations, safety, abuse and help to stop family violence can be accessed through the Clicklaw web portal.

With summer vacationing comes the prospect of parties with friends and a significant rise in police vigilance concerning drinking and driving.  Paul Doroshenko, an experienced Vancouver criminal defence lawyer with Acumen Law Corporation, offers a timely warning for people who think a little mouthwash will protect them from the serious consequences of blowing over the legal limit if they are stopped at a roadside check and required to submit to a Breathalyzer test.  Based on his experience handling drinking and driving cases, Mr. Doroshenko has this to say:

“Often drivers who have had as little as one drink are concerned about the odour of liquor on their breath.  This is understandable as the odour may permit a police officer to compel them to blow at the roadside.  They may be under the legal limit, but because of flaws in the tester, they may be arrested for impaired driving after blowing at the roadside.  The question is will mouthwash assist someone who has been drinking to avoid being wrongfully arrested for over .08?

Most mouthwash contains substances to create a flavour and aroma, as well as antiseptics and alcohol.  Mouthwash may mask the odour of liquor.  The problem however, is the alcohol in mouthwash.  Although it is not consumed when using mouthwash, a minuscule amount of alcohol in a driver’s mouth will often generate very high readings on most breath-testing instruments.  In our own testing mouthwash has caused elevated readings even more then 20 minutes after last use.

If you use mouthwash to disguise an odour of liquor, you may succeed in hiding the smell.  But if you are required to blow into a roadside Breathalyser, your use of mouthwash may inadvertently lead to your arrest.  So it is generally not a good practice.”

For more information and help with criminal law issues you can contact Mr. Doroshenko’s law firm for criminal law defence assistance at 604.685.8889 (24hrs) or visit Acumen’s Vancouver criminal law website for information on the work he does for clients charged with drinking and driving and other criminal defence services.