Woman hospitalized after attack
Assaults on women on the rise say police

by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 16/97) - A 29-year-old Yellowknife man has been banned from contacting his former common-law wife after she was beaten up, her house broken into and her furniture smashed on Tuesday.

The man is charged with three assault offences, uttering threats, as well as break and enter with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy said that the woman was taken to hospital, treated and released with bruises to various parts of her body including the face and back.

One of three similar reports police responded to on Tuesday and Wednesday, Grundy said the numbers of assaults on women is either growing or the number of allegations being reported to police is on the rise.

"Spousal assaults have always been a problem, not only in Yellowknife," he said. "But more people are being reported."

Grundy said that RCMP policy is pretty straightforward -- if they have enough evidence to make a charge, they will, with or without the consent of the victim.

"We can't get these psychos stopped if we can't get them before the justice system," he said. "I tell women that if you won't give us the information (to place a charge), one day, he will kill you, and they have said 'I know he will.'"

The accused was released Tuesday night after he appeared before a justice of the peace. He is set to appear in territorial court July 14.