TORONTO -- A new unit with Peel Regional Police, which aims to better protect victims of intimate partner violence, was spurred in part by the tragedy of a young woman killed during the pandemic.

Darian Henderson-Bellman, 25, was shot and killed in July 2020.

The Halton Hills woman had been involved with a Brampton man, who is now 28. He faces first-degree murder in connection with her death.

Henderson-Bellman’s memory is all around her grandparents. They wear masks with her image, keep her ashes around their necks, have a memorial in their garden and painted her name on the garage roof. 

“[Life is] very, very empty. We’re only just realizing we’re without her. We’re just coming to grips with that now,” said her grandmother Flo Bellman.

“There would be excuses toward things that happened I believe, but now that the truth has come out it’s easy to look back on things and see what you didn’t see before,” said Darian’s grandfather Paul Henderson. 

grandparents

Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said in 2020 police received close to 20,000 reports of intimate partner violence, that’s 50 a day, two an hour in Peel. He said in the last few years, 40 per cent of all homicides have been related to intimate partner violence. 

To support victims and reduce violence, the force created the intimate partner violence unit. 

It’s made up of 48 officers with specialized training, some of them survivors. The unit works closely with community service providers.

Henderson-Bellman's grandparents see her death as systemic failure. The story of her death was the subject of an episode of CTV's W5 called Unrestrained.

Police have previously said the accused, Darnell Reid was arrested multiple times for breaching terms of his release for being in contact with Henderson-Bellman and again after possessing an illegal gun.

None of the allegations has been tested in court.

Milinovich said part of the mandate is to follow up on the court process. 

“They aren’t just going to be responding to incidents. They will also handle incidents of breach of recognizance, failure to comply, those types of areas we know pose risk to survivors,” said Milinovich in an interview with CTV News Toronto Wednesday.

Milinovich said the unit’s goal is to end homicides from intimate partner violence.

Mississauga based Sakeenah Homes discovered when the pandemic hit, calls for help skyrocketed 700 per cent. The organization helps women in shelters and remotely.

With her husband home more, one client told CTV News Toronto she was too scared to call police. 

“He called me names and pushed me down the stairs and I had no place to go,” she said.

Founder and CEO Zena Chaudhry said the new unit is a good step, but more is needed around education to prevent intimate partner violence and when police respond to calls.

“You finally gather the courage to call the police in that moment of fear, and the police show up. In that first instant, they may not know how to empathize with you, they don’ the know the nuances of how to deal someone who is abused, what their mental health condition is like,” said Chaudhry.

“We need to have crisis counsellors and therapists who are going out to these calls who understand the situation a little bit better.”

Police said Darian’s death contributed to the momentum for change that comes with the new unit.

“Why wait until a young’s woman’s death to make it happen. We’re grateful something is happening. It’s a very small scale,” said Bellman.

“If one girl, just one girl is saved from something we do or what Darian did, she didn’t die in vain. She will have contributed to the help of someone else with the price she paid,” said Henderson. 

Darian’s mother told CTV News Toronto by phone Wednesday, her daughter experienced several episodes where she was afraid, and is pleased to learn of the new unit.

“I just hope that they’re able to help people more than they are right now,” said Michelle Jones. “I’m glad she just isn’t going to be forgotten.”