Calgary shelters say violence against women rising

Some domestic violence shelters in Calgary say their clients are in greater danger than in the past.

Suzanne Shust manages the YWCAs Sheriff King House, which housed 766 women and children in 2010.

She said there is an increasing number of women who say theyve been threatened with a weapon, with many saying theyve been told theyll die.

"The danger assessment helps us to know what sort of safety measures that we can help her put in," Shust said, referring to a form clients have to fill out, indicatingwhether theyve been involved in a violent relationship.

The trendmeans staff are having to call police more often, address court orders and plan for relocation.

At the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter, Lisa Falkowski said their assessments reveal serious danger.

"The women who come in the emergency shelter have an 85 percent chance of being murdered by their partner," Falkowski said.

Falkowski said for a quarter of her shelter's clients, it's too dangerous even to go outside.