OTTAWA — A Toronto-based organization working with Syrian refugees says one woman a week is disclosing she's a victim of domestic violence.
Huda Bukhari of the Arab Community Centre of Toronto says agencies badly need more resources to help address the problem.
She says the overall rate of domestic violence among the newly arrived Syrian population does not seem to be any higher that it is among other new Canadians.
The challenge is that so many are coming forward in such a short period and agencies don't have the right staff in place to provide women with the support they need.
Some of the women report they were victims of abuse while still in Syria or countries nearby, while others say the problems began upon arrival in Canada in the last six months.
Bukhari says the trauma of migration can often be a stressor that provokes violence in the home.
