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Study: Family violence and shelters for abused women

In 2007, family violence accounted for about 23% of all police-reported violent crime.

A total of 75,800 incidents of family violence were reported to police, and about 40,200 (53%) of these were violent incidents perpetrated by a current or former spouse or common-law partner. As in previous years, women continued to represent the vast majority (83%) of victims of reported spousal violence. Spousal violence was more likely to occur between current spouses or partners than between former spouses or partners (Statistics Canada, 2009, October 15). A total of 569 shelters across Canada provided residential services to women and children escaping abusive situations in 2008.

Nationally, the rate of police-reported spousal violence was 188 incidents for every 100,000 population in 2007, down 15% from 1998. This decline was primarily the result of a drop in the police-reported rate of violence committed against women. The rate of violence against men remained relatively stable.

In 2007, as in previous years, women continued to represent the vast majority (83%) of victims of spousal violence.

In 2008, there were 569 shelters across Canada providing residential services to women and children escaping abusive situations. The Transition Home Survey captured information on the characteristics of the women and children staying in these shelters on a specific "snapshot day," in this case April 16, 2008.

On this date, about 4,300 women and their 3,400 dependent children resided in shelters. About three-quarters of women were there to escape an abusive situation. The remainder were there for other reasons, such as housing or addiction problems.

Overall, in the 12-month period from April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2008, admissions to shelters reached just over 101,000 people: 62,000 women and 38,000 children. Over the previous 10 years, admissions to shelters remained relatively stable.

Read Family violence and shelters for abused women on the Statistics Canada website.