Family violence is abusive behaviour used to hurt or control a family member or a person with whom the abuser has an intimate relationship. Such violence can take many forms. It could include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect. It may include a single act of violence or a number of acts that form a pattern of abuse.
According to Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2011, which was released by Statistics Canada in June 2013, police reported that almost 95,000 people in Canada were victims of family violence in 2011. Those victims accounted for 26 per cent of all victims of violent crime reported to police in Canada in 2011.
In reality, the number of victims of family violence is probably much higher because many cases are not reported to police. There are many reasons why victims might not report family violence. For example, feelings of fear, shame and love for the abuser can be powerful motivators for keeping the violence secret.
Family violence can have serious consequences for victims and for society. According to Statistics Canada’s statistical profile on family violence, 34 per cent of all homicides committed between 2001 and 2011 were family-related. The impact of family violence on a victim’s emotional or physical health can result in their inability to work, or to care for themselves or their children. Children exposed to family violence, whether as a victim or as a witness, can suffer long-lasting emotional, behavioural and developmental problems.
The impact extends far beyond victims and their families. For example, several billions of dollars are spent each year in Canada on health care, justice processes, social services and other costs related to family violence.
The Family Violence Initiative provides grants and contributions funding under the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program of the Department of Justice Canada. It supports the development, implementation, testing and assessment of models, strategies and tools to improve the justice system's response to family violence. It also supports projects that raise public awareness and encourage public involvement in responding to family violence.
More information on the Family Violence Initiative can be found on the Department of Justice Canada’s website at www.justice.gc.ca
-30-
Department of Justice Canada
January 2013
