Statistics Canada Article on Family Violence in Canada

Statistics Canada's publication Juristat this week published an article on Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2013.

From the highlights:

• In 2013, police reported that there were 87,820 victims of family violence in Canada. This represents a rate of 252.9 victims of family violence for every 100,000 individuals in the population.
• Spousal violence was the most common form of family violence in 2013, with nearly half (48%) of family violence occurring at the hands of a current or former spouse (married or common law). 
• Following spousal violence, victimization by a parent was the next most common form of police-reported family violence, representing 17% of family violence victims.
• In 2013, more than two-thirds (68%) of all family violence victims were female.
• The risk of family violence varies with age and overall, tends to be lowest for seniors, followed by young children (9 years and under), and highest for adults in their 30s. While this pattern was generally similar for male and female victims, female rates of family violence peaked at age 30 to 34, whereas for males, rates were highest from age 15 to 19.
• Common assault was the most frequent form of family violence reported to police, experienced by over half (58%) of victims, followed by intimidation offences (17%), such as criminal harassment, indecent telephone calls or uttering threats.
• More than half (55%) of family violence victims suffered no physical injury. For those that sustained injuries, the vast majority of these injuries were minor, calling for no professional medical treatment or first aid only. When injuries were sustained, they were much more likely the result of the use of physical force (84%) against the victim, rather than the use of a weapon (16%).
• Charges were laid more often in police-reported family violence incidents (56%) than in violent incidents that were not family-related (46%).
• Trend data indicate that police-reported incidents of family violence have decreased in recent years. From 2009 to 2013, rates for the most prevalent form of police-reported family violence, physical assault, dropped 14%, spousal victimization declined 17% and incidents involving other family members fell 10%.
• Rates of homicides committed by family members continue to fall for both male and female victims.