Section 4: Police-reported family violence against seniors in Canada, 2019

Violence against seniors—sometimes referred to as elder abuse—is often perpetrated by family members and occurs in residential settings. It can take on many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse, and neglect and abandonment (Justice Canada 2015; World Health Organization 2020). Controlling and coercive behaviours from family members may also isolate seniors from others outside the home. Consequences for seniors who experience this type of violence may include loneliness and depression, increased dependency, financial problems and a shorter life span (Public Health Agency of Canada 2014).

As the Canadian population ages, this issue will continue to grow in importance. COVID-19 restrictions have had widespread impacts for the older population. Due to their age, seniors were designated as high risk for severe illness and complications with the virus. Thus, for many seniors, their social contacts and supports outside the family have been drastically reduced. An important area for further analysis will be violence against seniors in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. While not necessarily family-related, the relationship between a caregiver and a dependant in these environments mirrors that which typically exists within a family.

In this section, family violence refers to violence committed by spouses (legally married, separated, divorced and common-law), children (biological, step, adopted and foster), siblings (biological, step, half, adopted and foster) and extended family members (e.g., grandchildren, nephews, nieces, cousins and in-laws). Victims refer to those aged 65 to 89 years.^Note 

One in three senior victims of police-reported violence victimized by a family member

In 2019, there were 14,156 senior victims of police-reported violence in Canada, and over half (55%) were men (Table 4.1). One-third (32%) of senior victims were victimized by a family member, which represented 4,518 victims.

Family violence against seniors that came to the attention of police was most often perpetrated by their child (34%) followed by a spouse (26%) and a sibling (12%), and this pattern was the same for female and male seniors. Similar to family violence in general, women were overrepresented as victims of family violence against seniors (58%).

Family violence against seniors increases for the fourth consecutive year

The rate of police-reported family violence against seniors was 8% higher in 2019 compared with the previous year, while the rate of non-family violence against seniors increased 13% (Chart 4.1).^Note  For family violence against seniors, this marked the fourth consecutive annual increase, up 20% from 2015. During this time, the rate of family violence against seniors increased 18% for women and 23% for men. Between 2009 and 2019, the rate increased 19% overall while the rate of non-family violence against seniors increased 31%.

Physical assault most common form of family violence against seniors

In 2019, the rate of police-reported family violence against seniors was 72 victims per 100,000 population (Table 4.2). The most common type of family violence perpetrated against seniors was physical assault^Note  (accounting for 72% of victims, a rate of 52 per 100,000 population) followed by other offences involving violence or the threat of violence (19).^Note  This pattern was similar for women and men.

Two-thirds (67%) of senior victims of family violence were assaulted using physical force (Table 4.3).^Note  A further 16% of victims were assaulted with a weapon present, such as a knife, club or firearm. Four in ten (41%) senior victims of family violence suffered a physical injury, somewhat higher than those who experienced non-family violence (36%).^Note  Of the seniors who were physically injured as a result of family violence, the vast majority (93%) had minor injuries. Physical injury resulting from family violence against seniors was similar for women and men (40% and 42%, respectively).

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Saskatchewan and Manitoba have highest provincial rates of family violence against seniors

Similar to crime in general, rates of police-reported family violence against seniors were highest in the territories. Among the provinces, the rate of family violence against seniors was highest in Saskatchewan (101 per 100,000 population) followed by Manitoba (98) (Table 4.4).^Note  Meanwhile, it was lowest in Ontario (53) and Nova Scotia (61). Compared with the provinces, rates were notably higher in the territories, with Nunavut reporting the highest rate (1,970) followed by the Northwest Territories (1,403) and Yukon (276).

Female seniors experienced a higher rate of family violence than their male counterparts in every province and territory, with the exception of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.^Note 

In most provinces and territories in 2019, the rate of family violence against seniors increased from the previous year.^Note  Provincially, the rate decreased by 7% in Alberta while it remained relatively stable in Ontario (-0.2%).

The rate of family violence against seniors in the provinces was higher in rural areas than urban areas (98 versus 65 per 100,000 population), and this pattern was the same for women and men (Chart 4.2).^Note  In rural areas, senior women had a rate of family violence that was 1.2 times higher than senior men (107 versus 89). Of note, when it came to senior victims, the difference between rural and urban rates was larger for family violence (1.5 times higher in rural areas) as rates of non-family violence were comparable regardless of the type of area.

The rate of family violence against seniors was 1.4 times lower in Canada’s largest cities—referred to as census metropolitan areas^Note  or CMAs—than it was in non-CMAs (64 versus 89) (Table 4.5).^Note  Among the CMAs, rates were highest in Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (123), Gatineau^Note  (107) and Kelowna (94). Meanwhile, they were lowest in Peterborough (26), Ottawa^Note  (28) and Thunder Bay (28).

Contrary to family violence in general, family violence against seniors was higher for men than women in several CMAs: Peterborough, Moncton, Thunder Bay, Halifax, Barrie, Greater Sudbury and Saskatoon.

Detailed data tables

Table 4.1 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by gender of victim and relationship of accused to victim, Canada, 2019

Table 4.2 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by gender of victim and type of violation, Canada, 2019

Table 4.3 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by gender of victim, type of weapon present and level of injury, Canada, 2019

Table 4.4 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by gender of victim and province or territory, 2018 to 2019

Table 4.5 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by gender of victim and census metropolitan area, 2019

References

Employment and Social Development Canada. 2019. “Report on housing needs of seniors.”

Justice Canada. 2015. Crime and abuse against seniors: A review of the research literature with special reference to the Canadian situation.

Public Health Agency of Canada. 2014. Family Violence Initiative.

Statistics Canada. 2021. Table 17-10-0005-01 – Population estimates on July 1^st, by age and sex.

World Health Organization. 2020. Elder abuse.