Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Family phone plans hinder escape from domestic violence: Women's Shelters Canada

    A stock photo of a cellphone. (pixabay/pexels) A stock photo of a cellphone. (pixabay/pexels)
    Share

    Women's Shelters Canada is calling on phone companies to adjust how they respond to those escaping from domestic violence, saying the costs of changing a phone number and difficulties leaving a shared plan are key barriers for victims.

    The organization released a report Wednesday that looked into how Bell, Rogers and Telus reacted to a victim's request for a changed plan, and it is now making recommendations for how they can improve service for these vulnerable people.

    Rhiannon Wong, the group's Tech Safety Canada project manager, said their report comes shortly after a national survey in April found that harassment was the most common form of technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Other forms include threats, location tracking, preventing access to online accounts, surveillance and non-consensual image sharing.

    "This form of violence grows ignored, largely due to the perception that it isn't as serious because it's not physical violence," Wong said in an interview.

    "It's really important that telecom companies are able to respond to this because illegal acts like harassment and threats through technology — they're allowing this to happen through their services."

    The report from April said of the 204 front-line workers surveyed between 2022 and 2023, 95 per cent said they had supported survivors experiencing this form of violence. It said 98 per cent had identified smartphones as the main device being used to harass victims.

    The survey also said 44 per cent of shelter workers reported seeing family mobile phone plans misused against survivors.

    "Violence and abuse through technology often prevents survivors from being able to access domestic and sexual violence support, or even be able to find affordable housing or employment due to an abuser's control over technology," Wong said. "This is because abusers are monitoring who a survivor is calling, they're controlling when they have access to the internet and sending harassing and threatening messages.

    In order to test how companies reacted to requests for help leaving an abuser's plan, staff members in Ontario and B.C. contacted customer service agents at Bell, Rogers and Telus, Wong said.

    She said the companies were chosen because they are the largest in Canada and are available in every territory and province. But, she said, their suggestions also extend to all telecommunications companies, not just those included in their study.

    Wong explained each company was contacted a total of four times — twice via web chat and twice via phone. Each time, Women’s Shelters Canada staff identified themselves and said they were calling on behalf of a domestic violence survivor who needed support changing their phone number or leaving a shared plan owned by the abuser.

    The report said staff all reported issues around "access, inconsistency, cost, requiring survivors to involve the abuser in separating from a shared plan, and requiring credit checks to set up new accounts."

    Wong, who was one of the staffers to make the calls, said there "weren't a lot of options" made available.

    "From the research that we did, we found that the answers to our questions really depended on the agent who answered our calls," she said.

    "For example, one agent that I talked to spent most of their time trying to get me to sign up for a credit card, rather than support me in an issue that I presented them with."

    The organization has listed a series of recommendations for the companies, including that employees have "consistent and clear understandings of company policies" and undergo training on how to respond to victims in a "trauma-informed manner."

    It also suggests making it easier for customers to leave shared plans without authorization from the account owner and that they offer fee waivers in cases of domestic violence, without requiring documentation through a police report.

    Wong said Telus, Rogers and Bell were all consulted, and their responses were included in the final version of the report. All three companies acknowledged the issues and said they were reviewing processes to better support victims.

    Bell is quoted saying it "is committed to improving the customer experience and ensuring we provide appropriate interactions with anyone who contacts us for assistance." It sent the same response to The Canadian Press when asked for a reaction to the report.

    Rogers was quoted in the report as saying that it was taking steps to implement a number of the recommendations in the report, "including waiving fees for victims and making it easier for them to be removed from a shared plan." It said it was also updating training for front-line service agents. It reaffirmed the same in an email Tuesday.

    Telus did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But, in the report, it highlighted various programs they offer for internet safety and mental wellness, and said it was "committed to offering support and assistance to customers in need."

    While Wong said the goal remains on shifting protocols for phone companies, governments can also play a role in ensuring safety extends to all types of technology.

    "There's a lot of focus and pressure from government and the public to keep folks safe from online harm when it comes to social media, but harms like harassment and threats through other forms of technology, like our smartphones, is just as prevalent and illegal," she said.

    "What we do want from government is to take all forms of tech-facilitated gender-based violence seriously when they're coming up with bills and legislation."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.

    Â鶹´«Ã½ is a division of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    Canada

    • A 54-year-old inmate at the Toronto South Detention Centre has been charged in connection with a deadly jail beating late last week that claimed the life of a 69-year-old prisoner.

    • The Archbishop of Toronto is among 21 new cardinals Pope Francis named Sunday and the lone new cardinal from North America.

    • A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    • In a display of strength and perseverance, a Cambridge, Ont. resident has completed a unique aquatic challenge.

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    Local Spotlight

    Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

    Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.

    A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    • A man stole a police car and drove it onto the field of an East Vancouver park Sunday morning, placing “dozens of bystanders in harm’s way,†according to police.

    • All that was left of a downtown Langley restaurant Sunday was a pile of rubble behind a blue fence, after a massive fire tore through it the morning before.

    • One person was killed and four others hospitalized when a car sped off the road and rolled over south of Merritt, B.C., Saturday, according to authorities.

    • A 54-year-old inmate at the Toronto South Detention Centre has been charged in connection with a deadly jail beating late last week that claimed the life of a 69-year-old prisoner.

    • The Archbishop of Toronto is among 21 new cardinals Pope Francis named Sunday and the lone new cardinal from North America.

    • A female has been taken to the hospital after being stabbed early Sunday afternoon in Oakville, say police.

    • There were dueling rallies at city hall Sunday in advance of the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

    • CTV producer Cynthia Roebuck has been to the Run for a Cure before, but Sunday, she had a different perspective on the popular event.

    • An investigation is underway into a fire and explosion that took place Saturday night in northeast Calgary.

    • A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    • The Carleton Ravens came within a field goal of their first Panda Game victory since 2017, but ultimately came short of breaking the University of Ottawa Gee Gees winning streak on Sunday.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

    • Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.

    • Monday marks one year since the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.

    • A man was taken into custody Sunday after a woman was found dead in a home on Montreal's South Shore.

    • Monday is the first anniversary of the Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people and sparked a war that has since spread beyond the borders of the Gaza Strip.

    • If you're feeling overwhelmed by an overbearing fruit tree or a kale patch that just won't quit, here are some ways to make your fall haul more manageable.

    • Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

    • RCMP in Sussex, N.B., are asking the public for help locating a missing 61-year-old woman from Wards Creek, N.B.

    • The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • An annual vintage sale known as “Art from the Attic†returned to St. Vital Centre Sunday, with thousands of collectibles and art pieces on display.

    • For the 52nd week, pro-Palestinian protesters rallied in Winnipeg, calling for peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

    • Saturday was not an ideal fall day for the residents of southern Saskatchewan – as winds reaching highway speeds were reported.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.

    • According to police, officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the area of Victoria Street North and St. Ledger Street around 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

    • In a display of strength and perseverance, a Cambridge, Ont. resident has completed a unique aquatic challenge.

    • Emergency services were called to the area of Stone Road West and Chancellors Way around 1:20 a.m. Sunday for a report of a single motor vehicle collision.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    • Tears were shed and emotions ran high at the 33rd annual CIBC Run for the Cure in downtown London, Ont. on Sunday.

    • The London Knights continue to get players back from NHL training camps but while the roster takes shape, wins have been tough to come by in the early season.

    • Lakehead University's Orillia Campus hosted the 2024 NASA Space Apps challenge this weekend, which allowed teams of students, mentors and scientists to brainstorm solutions for global issues using real-world NASA data.

    • The first Sunday of October was also the first Sunday of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which meant hundreds wore pink and attended the two CIBC 'Run for the Cure' events in the region.

    • KAGE North celebrated its grand opening on Saturday just north of Barrie, where two Canadian Olympic softball players and staff held a special camp to help grow the sport.

    • This morning just before 7:00 a.m., OPP responded to a collision in which a vehicle struck a pedestrian on the roadway.

    • The event serves as a pivotal platform for open-class boxers from across Ontario to compete for provincial titles and the opportunity to advance to the Canadian National Championships.

    • Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    • NDP Leader David Eby promised Sunday to support police in British Columbia to keep illegal guns off the streets and protect communities, but accused B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad of planning to make the province less safe.

    • The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.

    • Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • As part of an ongoing investigation, provincial police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Kubota tractor stolen in North Shore Township, Ont., last month.

    • A 33-year-old man was arrested Saturday for allegedly spraying bear mace at three individuals in northwestern Ontario.

    • A drug raid on a home on the Far North Attawapiskat First Nation last week resulted in two local residents being charged and more than $50,000 in suspected narcotics, including methamphetamine, being seized.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½