Family violence accounts for 26% of all violent crimes reported to police in 2011, according to Canada’s statistical agency Statistics Canada.
Of the nearly 95,000 victims of family violence, almost half were in a current or previous spousal relationship with the accused, including both common-law and legally married partnerships.
The most frequent type of family violence offence reported to police in 2011 remained “common assault, which includes pushing, slapping and punching, without serious physical injury. The next most frequently reported offence was major assault, which involves a weapon or results in bodily harm, followed by the offence of uttering threats.”
The majority of victims of family violence were females: 80% of spousal victims, 63% of parents victimized, 58% of extended family members victimized, 57% of child victims and 57% of sibling victims.
Statistics Canada noted: “Similar to overall police-reported crime trends, police-reported violence against family members appears to be declining, with decreases seen in both homicides and assaults.”
More information:
Statistics Canada press release – Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2011 – here
Statistics Canada report – Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2011 – here
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