Introduction
Intimate partner violence has taken a devastating turn in Brampton and Mississauga, where police now respond to an alarming number of domestic-related incidents every single day. The issue—long acknowledged as a persistent threat—has surged back into public focus after the tragic killing of 29-year-old mother of four, Savannah Kulla, whose death has once again exposed how vulnerable many residents remain behind closed doors.
In Peel Region, the problem isn’t just growing—it’s deepening. And with law enforcement attending two family or intimate partner violence calls every hour, local leaders, service providers, and advocates are pushing for more robust interventions before more lives are irreparably changed.
A Community Shaken by a Tragic Loss
A Killing That Reignited a Regional Alarm
The fatal shooting of Savannah Kulla on October 21, in a Brampton parking lot near Airport Road and Queen Street East, sent ripples of grief across the region. According to police, Kulla was killed by her estranged partner, 38-year-old Anthony Deschepper, who was on bail at the time and the father of her one-year-old daughter.
A makeshift memorial soon grew near the scene—photos, flowers, and handwritten notes forming a quiet testament to her life. Residents who passed by often paused in silence, a gesture that said what words couldn’t. As one mourner commented softly to a friend beside the candles, “How does this keep happening?”
That question has been echoing for weeks.
Kulla’s death has underscored the region’s struggle with intimate partner violence (IPV)—a problem that Peel Region council formally declared an epidemic in 2023. But as recent data shows, the crisis has only intensified.
Sobering Statistics Reveal a Growing Crisis
Police Responding to Thousands of Domestic Calls
Between January 1 and October 31 of this year, Peel Regional Police were dispatched to 14,107 family and intimate partner violence calls. Of those, roughly 60% were intimate partner–specific incidents, amounting to an average of 46 calls every day.
Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, addressing regional council on November 20, put the situation in stark terms:
“We have seen a four per cent increase in reported incidents. It’s a sad stat that every hour we respond to two family and intimate partner violence calls.”
Even for seasoned officers, the pace is unrelenting.
Women Make Up the Vast Majority of Victims
During a presentation to Brampton council earlier in November, IPV detective Pamela Parkin highlighted that 78% of IPV victims in Brampton and Mississauga in 2024 were women. The most common charges officers lay during these calls involve assault, threats, assault with a weapon, and choking or strangulation.
The Alarming Patterns Around Strangulation
One of the most chilling data points involves strangulation—a known predictor of lethal violence.
Parkin noted that in 2024 alone, police laid 553 strangulation-related charges connected to intimate partner incidents. Research indicates that half of all IPV homicide victims had previously experienced at least one strangulation attempt.
Parkin didn’t mince words:
“Victims of strangulation have a seven times increased risk of being killed by their partner.”
For front-line officers, this risk extends to them as well. Responding to calls involving a suspect with a documented history of strangulation increases the danger to police, adding yet another layer of urgency to prevention efforts.
Local Leaders Push for Stronger Measures
Growing Pressure to Strengthen Bail Laws and Resources
The conversation around bail reform has resurfaced after the Kulla case, with several regional officials arguing that the current system isn’t adequately protecting victims. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown voiced deep concern, describing IPV as an area where society is “failing badly.”
Brown reflected on how attitudes toward impaired driving evolved over decades, noting that once society collectively agreed on consequences, behavior changed. IPV, he suggested, has not seen that shift:
“We haven’t gotten there with intimate partner violence.”
He pointed to the pandemic years, when lockdowns left many victims trapped with abusers, causing an unprecedented spike in domestic cases—a trend that never fully subsided.
The Need for More Shelter Space
Mississauga Councillor Natalie Hart recently drew attention to a persistent barrier for survivors: the lack of emergency shelter space. She urged the region to expand support systems for mostly female victims who are attempting to escape abusive environments.
“If people are searching for these things, it’s usually in the moment when they need help,” she said. And when residents come to the city’s website seeking assistance, they often mistakenly believe the city directly provides shelter services—only to discover that help isn’t immediately available.
Her point landed with weight: access delayed is often safety denied.
The Human Face Behind the Numbers
A Fictional Moment Illustrating a Real Problem
During a community safety meeting earlier this month, a woman named “Mira”—a fictional composite based on real cases—shared a story that captured the nuanced fear many residents carry. She described sitting in her car outside a grocery store, debating whether to return home after a heated argument with her partner the night before.
“I remember staring at my steering wheel like it was a crystal ball,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘What’s waiting for me behind that door?’ I knew I needed help, but I didn’t even know where to start.”
Her words echoed what frontline advocates often hear: fear mixed with uncertainty, and the constant mental calculus survivors perform before seeking help.
A local outreach worker leaned toward her and gently said, “Your fear isn’t paranoia; it’s experience.”
The room fell quiet—not unlike audiences hearing a poignant line from a George Carlin monologue, where truth hits harder because it’s wrapped in simple clarity.
Why the Situation Is Worsening
Systemic Gaps That Keep Survivors Vulnerable
Experts point to several overlapping issues:
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Insufficient shelter capacity, forcing survivors to remain in unsafe homes
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Bail conditions that fail to prevent repeat violence
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Limited long-term support, including mental health counselling
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High cost of living, which makes leaving an abusive partner financially impossible
Police can intervene, but without parallel social services, intervention becomes temporary.
Officers Facing Rising Risks
Front-line responders now walk into more volatile situations than ever before. Incidents involving weapons, threats, and strangulation attempts place officers at heightened risk. As one officer joked wryly during a council briefing—borrowing a line from Tina Fey—“I have a career that sometimes feels like a poorly written action movie.” The humor lightened the room briefly, but the underlying truth remained stark.
Community Leaders Call for Long-Term Strategy
A Regional Approach to a Deeply Ingrained Issue
Peel Region has acknowledged the problem formally, but officials argue that a declaration alone won’t reverse the trend. They want long-term investments in:
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more transitional housing
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improved judicial monitoring
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enhanced survivor outreach
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education programs that challenge cultural norms around abuse
Regional councillors have spoken about the need for federal and provincial funding, insisting that municipalities cannot confront an epidemic alone.
Conclusion
Intimate partner violence in Brampton and Mississauga has reached a critical point. The rising number of calls, the overwhelming percentage of female victims, the lethal patterns surrounding strangulation, and the harrowing personal stories all illustrate a community in urgent need of solutions.
The death of Savannah Kulla is a devastating reminder of the consequences of inaction. As officials debate policy reforms, and as police continue responding to thousands of calls, the region faces a difficult question: How many lives must be altered—or lost—before systemic change becomes inevitable?
