Police-reported violence involving same-sex intimate partners in Canada, 2009 to 2017

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Release date: March 27, 2019
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Police-reported violence involving same-sex intimate partners in Canada, 2009 to 2017
Description: Police-reported violence involving same-sex intimate partners in Canada, 2009 to 2017

Police-reported violence involving same-sex intimate partners in Canada, 2009 to 2017

Total same-sex intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents from 2009 to 2017: 22,323.

Of all police-reported IPV incidents, 3% involved same-sex partners.

Same-sex IPV declined 11% from 2009 to 2017.

Number of same-sex IPV incidents from 2009 to 2017
  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Number of same-sex IPV incidents 2,611 2,706 2,508 2,530 2,430 2,303 2,455 2,453 2,327

Opposite-sex IPV declined 6% from 2009 to 2017.

55% of same-sex IPV incidents were between males

The 12,348 male-male IPV incidents were:

  • 59% Common assault
  • 18% Major assault
  • 12% Uttering threats
  • 5% Criminal harassment
  • 7% Other violations

The 9,975 female-female IPV incidents were:

  • 64% Common assault
  • 12% Major assault
  • 9% Uttering threats
  • 8% Criminal harassment
  • 7% Other violations

Proportions may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Same-sex IPV less often results in charges

65% of same-sex IPV incidents resulted in charges

  • 68% of males accused
  • 61% of females accused

82% of opposite-sex IPV incidents resulted in charges

  • 84% of males accused
  • 71% of females accused

Victims of same-sex IPV more often request no further action against the accused

Type of victim and percentage
Victims Percent
Same-sex males 19
Same-sex females 21
Opposite-sex males 12
Opposite-sex females 7

Includes incidents where an accused person was known and sufficient evidence was obtained to support the laying of a charge, but the complainant refused to proceed with charges against the accused. As a result, police used discretion to not lay or recommend a charge.

For more information, see the full Juristat article:
Police-reported violence among same-sex intimate partners in Canada, 2009 to 2017.

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (Trend Database).

More information

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2019

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

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