MONTREAL -- The alarming number of femicides and cases of domestic violence since the start of the year in Quebec is forcing the authorities to act to help victims.

In order to refine its approach, the Montreal police department (SPVM) announced on Friday the creation of a new specialized unit for consultation and investigations in matters of domestic violence.

The Quebec Justice and Public Security ministries injected over $1 million per year for five years into the department for the SPVM to create the team. 

In a news release, the SPVM explained that the implementation and deployment of the unit will help develop "more personalized support" for victims of domestic violence, improve collaboration with support servicess which aggressors are referred, and to consolidate the "structure en violence conjugal and intrafamiliale (VCI)" which includes the deployment of resource persons in each unit and investigation centre of the SPVM.

Also according to Friday's release, the unit will fall under the Prevention and Urban Security Division, under the authority of Commander Anouk St-Onge.

The team dedicated to domestic violence cases will also be composed of a lieutenant-detective, a strategic planning advisor, four detective sergeants and an advisor officer.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 14, 2021.