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A Quebec coroner is calling on the provincial government to improve services for domestic violence victims in her report on a murder case involving a man who strangled his wife and two sons in 2019.
Coroner Andrée Kronström said the relationship between Dahia Khellaf and Nabil Yssaad was marked by an escalating pattern of domestic violence since the two were joined in an arranged marriage in 2012.
The report examined the killings of Khellaf, 42, and her sons, Adam, 4, and Aksil, 2, as well as the Dec. 10, 2019, suicide of Yssaad, who strangled his family in their Montreal home before driving to a hospital and jumping to his death from a sixth-floor window.
Kronström says elements of the family’s story can be found in reports of domestic violence experts who testified during the coroner’s inquest that took place last fall.
She says that despite the many improvements in available services since 2019, more support, co-ordination and education is needed, especially regarding family murder-suicides.
Her recommendations to the province include moving forward with an assessment process for violent spouses, and increasing education for new immigrants and young people on domestic violence and coercive control.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
Are you or someone you know experiencing abuse? Visit the Department of Justice’s Victim Services Directory for a list of support services in your area. Women, trans and non-binary people can find an additional list of resources online.
In Quebec, you can contact SOS Violence conjugale at 1-800 363-9010 by phone. You can also text 1-438-601-1211.
To reach Shield of Athena’s Montreal office, call 514-274-8117 or 1-877-274-8117.
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