Sexual assault incidents in Canada: From the police to criminal courts

Release date: November 6, 2024
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Infographic: Sexual assault incidents in Canada: From the police to criminal courts
Description: Sexual assault incidents in Canada: From the police to criminal courts

Sexual assault cases experience attrition at all stages of the criminal justice system.

  • Attrition refers to the phenomenon whereby, at each stage of the criminal justice process, some cases “drop out” and do not proceed. Fewer cases remain or are retained throughout the entirety of the process.
  • There are many reasons for attrition. For example, police or courts can determine that there is not enough evidence to support charges, or victims may decide to not participate.

Sexual assault is a gendered crime.

  • 89% of victims are women and girls.
  • 97% of accused are men and boys.

Few (6%) sexual assaults are reported to police. This compares with 36% of physical assaults.

Overall, about 1 in 19 sexual assaults that were reported to police led to an accused person being sentenced to custody.

For every 1,000 sexual assaults reported to police:

  • 640 did not lead to charges
  • 141 led to charges, but did not go to court
  • 114 went to court, but did not lead to a guilty finding
  • 52 led to a guilty finding, but not to a sentence of custody
  • 52 led to a guilty finding and a sentence of custody  

For every 1,000 physical assaults reported to police:

  • 499 did not lead to charges
  • 102 led to charges, but did not go to court
  • 209 went to court, but did not lead to a guilty finding
  • 125 led to a guilty finding, but not to a sentence of custody
  • 65 led to a guilty finding and a sentence of custody  

Attrition levels were below average for sexual assaults that:

  • were classified as more serious by police
  • were perpetrated by a stranger
  • resulted in major injury or had a weapon present
  • took place in an open area or on public transit

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, Integrated Criminal Court Survey, General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization);  Cotter, A., 2024, “Criminal justice outcomes of sexual assault in Canada, 2015 to 2019”, Juristat, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 85-002-X.

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Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2024

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

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

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