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9 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,D ecem ber 12,2019 theifp.ca Prearranging your burial or cremation is the last gift you can give your family. It releases them from having to quickly make decisions in their time of grief. It also frees them from the need to pay costs associated with your cemetery arrangements. Contact one of our family counsellors to discuss your wishes and options. Owned and operated by The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Hamilton 905-877-8500 | www.devereauxcemetery.ca A Final Gift to Your Family In separation situations who gets custody of the children? ASK THE PROFESSIONAL The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice. We work for you. legal matters Q A Custody Helsons LLP is a firm of 9 Lawyers. We trace our firm back to 1885 in Georgetown, Ontario Frederick A. Helson (1921-2018) Allan W. Kogon (retired) David J. Ashbee John E. Schaljo Mark T. Rush Steven D. Kogon Caley E. Power Jessica A. Krause Jasmine M. Spudic Nicole E. Kucherenko Fiona A. Japaul Nancy L. Carnwath (retired) The question to be determined by the court is always what is in the "best interests" of the child. Best Interests is a vague concept, with numerous factors to consider. Here is just one of the more important ones. The assumption most courts make is the best indication of future appropriate parenting is past history. Hence, custody and access trials are often an exercise in deconstruction of the child's life, examining what roles each parent took on. Most judges try to minimize disruption in a child's life which usually means the primary care giver in the past remains the primary care giver in the future. Helsons LLP Barristers and Solicitors 132 Mill Street, Georgetown, Ontario L7G 2C6 Tel: (905) 877-5200 35 Mill Street East, Acton, Ontario L7J 1H1 Tel: (519) 929-9333 Email: info@helsons.ca Web: www.helsons.ca David J. Ashbee 2018 Large Business of the Year Incidents of intimate- partner violence threaten the sense of safety and well-being that defines the region, Halton police say. Halton police hope to change that by shedding more light on the inci- dents. Last year, police re- sponded to more than 3,300 intimate-partner domestic violence calls. Police said they know that intimate-partner vio- lence is overwhelmingly under-reported. In fact, Statistics Canada esti- mates that more than 80 per cent of these incidents go unreported. Starting now, Halton Regional Police will peri- odically publish media re- leases that capture a de- identified incident of inti- mate-partner violence in the community. No names. No residence details. They will, however, disclose the nature of the incident and what charges were laid as a result of an investigation. Each media release will al- so include key messaging that: . Reinforces that no one has the right to abuse an- other person . Encourages victims and witnesses to contact Halton Regional Police . Provides a comprehen- sive list of community re- sources for those affected The police hope that re- leasing information will create an opportunity to connect others who are at risk, or who may already be victims of intimate- partner violence, with the resources and support they need and deserve. As well, police want to heighten the awareness of the public regarding how pervasive this violence is in the community. "Intimate-partner vio- lence reaches across socio- economic, cultural, racial and class distinctions. It is a community problem that requires community en- gagement to address," said Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. "It is impossible to fix what you can't see, so we are broadening the conver- sation to clearly signal that this insidious violence is not solely an issue of con- cern to victims. If you see something, say some- thing," said Hill. "We applaud (Halton Regional Police) for taking this bold step," said Diane Beaulieu, executive direc- tor of Halton Women's Place. "An increase in public awareness will help destig- matize the issue of gender- based violence, and partic- ularly violence against women. Every person in the community is entitled to feel safe in their home." Given the prevalence of intimate-partner violence in the region, it is impera- tive that all stakeholders shed light on this issue. In collaboration with com- munity partners, through ongoing education and shared information, Hal- ton Regional Police said it hopes to further prevent and reduce future victim- ization. NEWS Halton police will be publishing some details of domestic abuse incidents. Torstar file photo HALTON POLICE TO PUBLISH SOME DETAILS ON DOMESTIC INCIDENTS JULIE SLACK jslack@metroland.com