CHILLIWACK (NEWS1130) – An increase in alcohol consumption, social gatherings and family pressures are all things that can put a strain on relationships this holiday season according, to the Chilliwack RCMP.

Cst. Tracy Wolbeck says there’s a spike in domestic violence cases at this time of the year.

“Family disputes are by far the most volatile and unpredictable situations we encounter as  police officers, “says Cpl. Harinder Kheleh of the Chilliwack Serious Crime Unit.  “We take them very seriously and make sure that the people involved  have the support they need to move forward.”

Cst. Tracy Wolbeck says there are several coping strategies that can be used to ease the stress associated with the holidays.  She says it’s important to plan ahead and have family discussions surrounding finances before things start to get hectic.  She stresses the importance of knowing your limit with alcohol and says increased consumption can lead to arguments that maybe wouldn’t have happened without the drinks.

“A lot of it has to do with a simple lack of communication among each other. It’s a stressful time, where to spend your time, families are forever in discussions about whose family to go to, they over commit their time and it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of time to just be,”says Wolbeck.

She says if you’ve previously had discussions resulting in explosive yelling matches then set some boundaries. “Set a time limit on the discussion and set the topics before hand.  If you don’t come to a decision at the end of the allotted time, then revisit the topic later,” says Wolbeck.