Intimate partner violence is any form of violence (physical, psychological, sexual) committed by legally married, separated, divorced, common-law, dating and other intimate partners. Intimate partner violence occurs in heterosexual and same-sex relationships and among men, women and trans people. However, the most common perpetrators of police-reported violence against women are their current or former male intimate partners. (1)
- Intimate partner violence is the most common form of police-reported violence against women in Canada. (2)
- Over half a million women in Canada experienced intimate partner violence between 2004 and 2009. (3)
- It has been estimated that spousal violence against women in Canada costs approximately $5 billion annually. (4)
Local
- The Ottawa Police Service investigates 4500 cases related to domestic violence per year, and the vast majority of the victims are women.
- From April 2013 to March 2014, the Ottawa Hospital Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (SAPACP) saw 85 clients who were physically assaulted by their partner.
Notes
1) Sinha, 2013.
2) Sinha, 2013, p. 14
3) Sinha, 2013, p. 24.
4) Intimate Partner and Spousal Violence in Measuring Intimate Partner Violence, 2013, p.1
Works Cited
Sinha, M (Ed). (2013). Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends. Statistics Canada. No. 85-002-X. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11766-eng.pdf
Status of Women Canada (2013). Intimate Partner and Spousal Violence in Measuring violence against women: Statistical trends – key findings. Retrieved from http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/rc-cr/pub/violence-partner-partenaire-eng.pdf