Statistics Canada Article on Outcomes of Sexual Assault Cases

The Statistics Canada publication Juristat has published an article on Criminal justice outcomes of sexual assault in Canada, 2015 to 2019.

It examines the progression of sexual assault incidents through the criminal justice system, from police to courts. It focuses on the characteristics of incidents, victims and accused persons associated with different outcomes at various stages of the process.

Among the highlights:

• Few instances of sexual assault are reported to police, and only a fraction of police-reported sexual assaults result in charges and convictions.
• Between 2015 and 2019, 36% of sexual assaults that were reported to police resulted in charges, of which 61% proceeded to court. Once in court, 48% of cases linked to these incidents resulted in an accused person being found guilty, and 50% of these resulted in a sentence of custody.
• Relative to physical assault, sexual assault was less likely to be reported to police, less likely to result in charges being laid, and less likely to proceed to court once charges were laid. Once in court, the proportion of cases that resulted in a decision of guilt was the same, and those found guilty of sexual assault were more likely to receive a sentence of custody.
• The length of time between an incident occurring and when it was reported to police had a notable impact on attrition at multiple stages of the justice process. The rate at which incidents proceeded to court was lower when there was a delay compared with those that were reported the same day or the day after they occurred.
• Women and girls accounted for the large majority (89%) of victims of police-reported sexual assault between 2015 and 2019. A higher proportion of sexual assaults against women and girls resulted in charges being laid or recommended (38%, versus 29% when the victim was a man or boy). The difference between women and men narrowed at subsequent points of the criminal justice system.
• Over half (54%) of intimate partner sexual assaults resulted in charges being laid or recommended, higher than any other type of accused-victim relationship. The rate of cases continuing to court and the conviction rate of intimate partner sexual assault were consistent with sexual assault more broadly. 
• Sexual assaults committed by a stranger had lower charge rates (28%) but were more likely to continue to court (69%) and result in a guilty decision (56%) relative to sexual assaults where the accused was someone known to the victim.