Firearms and intimate partner violence in Canada
Released: 2026-07-08
In 2024, there were 1,096 victims of police-reported firearm-related intimate partner violence in Canada, representing a rate of 3.1 victims per 100,000 population aged 12 years and older. These victims accounted for 10% of all victims of firearm-related violent crime and 0.9% of all victims of intimate partner violence in 2024.
While firearm-related intimate partner violence represents a relatively small proportion of police-reported violent crime overall, it has generally increased since 2010. The average annual rate from 2020 to 2024 (3.1 victims per 100,000 population aged 12 and older) was 31% higher than the rate from 2015 to 2019 (2.4), and 58% higher than the rate from 2010 to 2014 (2.0).
Statistics Canada regularly publishes data on overall police-reported firearm-related violent crime, and recently, there have been calls for additional data on firearm-related intimate partner violence. The Juristat article "Firearms and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2009 to 2024," published today, presents the most recent information on the specific subset of victims of violent crime where the incident involved a firearm and the accused person was a current or former intimate partner.
Chart 1
Victims of police-reported firearm-related intimate partner violence, Canada, 2010 to 2024
Though men and boys account for a larger proportion of victims of firearm-related violent crime in general, the majority (85%) of victims of police-reported firearm-related intimate partner violence since 2009 have been women and girls. Rates have consistently been highest among women aged 18 to 24 years.
Chart 2
Gender and age group of victims of police-reported firearm-related intimate partner violence, by year, Canada, 2010 to 2024
For over half (52%) of all victims of firearm-related intimate partner violence from 2020 to 2024, the accused person was a current or former dating partner. This represents a shift from earlier years, when current or former spouses or common-law partners accounted for the largest proportion.
Chart 3
Victims of police-reported firearm-related intimate partner violence, by accused-victim relationship, Canada, 2010 to 2024
Each year from 2010 to 2019, rifles and shotguns accounted for the largest share of firearms present in firearm-related intimate partner violence. Since 2020, however, handguns have surpassed rifles and shotguns to become the most common type, consistent with firearm-related violent crime in general. In 2024, for 39% of all victims of firearm-related intimate partner violence, a handgun was present.
From 2009 to 2024, there were 294 victims of firearm-related intimate partner homicide, an average of 18 deaths per year. During this period, shooting homicides accounted for just over one in five (22%) intimate partner homicides, the second leading cause of death among intimate partner homicide victims, behind stabbing (42%).
Since 2009, just over 9 in 10 (91%) victims of firearm-related intimate partner homicide have been women and girls, while women and girls accounted for three-quarters (75%) of victims of intimate partner homicide committed by any other method.
Note to readers
This analysis is based on data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey and the Homicide Survey, with a focus on police-reported victims of firearm-related intimate partner violence.
Intimate partner violence refers to all victims of police-reported violent crime where an intimate partner relationship exists between the accused and the victim. This includes current and former legally married spouses, common-law partners, boyfriends, girlfriends, and dating partners, as well as any other type of intimate partner relationship (e.g., one-night stands). All counts, rates, and comparisons are based on victims 12 years of age and older.
Firearm-related violent crime refers to all incidents and victims where a firearm was present during the commission of the offence, and where police deemed that the firearm was relevant to the offence, regardless of whether it was used (e.g., discharged, used as a threat). In this article, firearm-related violent crime refers specifically to a count of victims, and does not include incidents of firearm-related violent crime (e.g., shootings) where no specific accused-victim relationship information was provided by police.
For the purposes of the UCR Survey and the Homicide Survey, a firearm is any barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged and can cause serious bodily injury or death to a person. Different types of firearms are distinguished as such by the two surveys (presented in descending order of seriousness according to the hierarchy for determining most serious weapon):
Fully automatic firearm: Any firearm that allows continuous and rapid fire of bullets with one pull of the trigger.
Sawed-off rifle or shotgun: Any rifle or shotgun with a barrel length that has been altered to less than 457 millimetres, or with an overall weapon length of less than 660 millimetres.
Handgun: Any firearm designed to be held and fired by the action of one hand.
Rifle or shotgun: Any long-barrelled firearm with a barrel length of 660 millimetres or more.
Firearm-like weapon: Any firearm-like weapon capable of propelling any object through a barrel by means of gunpowder, compressed carbon dioxide, pumped air, etc. Includes, for example, starter pistols, flare guns, air guns, ghost guns and BB guns. This category also includes unknown types of firearms.
For more information on data sources, definitions, concepts, and terminology, see the full Juristat article and the information pages for the UCR and Homicide surveys.
Products
The article "Firearms and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2009 to 2024" is now available as part of the publication Juristat (85-002-X).
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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