Section 3: Police-reported family violence against seniors in Canada, 2018

by Laura Savage

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

• There were 12,202 senior victims (aged 65 and older)^Note  of police-reported violence in Canada in 2018.^Note  Of these victims, 45% were female and 55% were male (Table 3.1).
• One-third (33%) of senior victims of police-reported violence were victimized by a family member such as a child, spouse, sibling or other family member. Female senior victims of family violence were most likely to be victimized by a spouse (14%) compared to senior male victims, who were most often victimized by their child (9%) (Table 3.1).
• Between 2017 and 2018, family violence against seniors increased 4% while non-family violence increased by 2%. Between 2009 and 2018, family violence against seniors increased 11% and non-family violence had a slightly larger increase (+15%) (Chart 3.1).^Note 
• The overall rate of police-reported violence among seniors was 67 victims per 100,000 population for family violence and 135 victims per 100,000 population for non-family violence in 2018. For both family (47 victims per 100,000 population) and non-family violence (80), physical assault^Note  had the highest rate for seniors (Table 3.2).
• The rate of family violence was higher for senior females (74 victims per 100,000 population) than senior males (60). However, the opposite was true for non-family violence, with males experiencing violence at a rate almost double that of their female counterparts (178 victims versus 98 victims per 100,000 population) (Table 3.2).

Over four in ten police-reported sexual assaults against seniors are not cleared

• A criminal incident is considered cleared when a charge is laid or recommended, or when it is dealt with by the police in another way (for example, through referral to a diversionary program). In 2018, regardless of violation type, police-reported family violence against seniors was more often cleared by charge than non-family violence (Table 3.3).
• With regard to police-reported family violence, over four in ten (43%) incidents of sexual assault^Note  were not cleared, compared to around two in ten incidents of physical assault (16%) and other offences involving violence or the threat of violence^Note  (23%) (Table 3.3).

The majority of senior victims of police-reported family violence live with the person who victimized them

• The vast majority of female (92%) and male (88%) senior victims of family violence were victimized in a residential location (Table 3.4).
• Of the senior victims of family violence who were victimized in a residential location, around six in ten (62% of female victims and 58% of male victims) lived with the person who victimized them (Table 3.4).

Physical force used against six in ten senior victims of family violence

• About six in ten (63%) senior victims of family violence had physical force used against them. This proportion was similar for senior victims of non-family violence (62%) (Table 3.5).
• The presence of weapons, such as firearms, knives and other weapons, was slightly more common among senior male victims of family violence (20%) than senior female victims (15%) (Table 3.5).^Note 

Males accused of family violence against seniors were most commonly seniors themselves

• There were 4 female accused and 10 male accused persons of family violence against seniors per 100,000 population (Table 3.6).^Note 
• The rate of males accused of family violence against seniors was highest among those aged 65 and older (19 accused per 100,000 population) (Table 3.6).

Slight increase in police-reported violence against seniors between 2017 and 2018

• Family violence against seniors was highest overall in Nunavut (1,644 victims per 100,000 population) and the Northwest Territories (1,490). In contrast, it was lowest in Prince Edward Island and Ontario (49 and 53 victims per 100,000 population, respectively) (Table 3.7).
• Family violence against seniors increased 4% between 2017 and 2018, with the Northwest Territories recording the largest increase (+27%). Non-family violence against seniors increased 2% between 2017 and 2018 (Table 3.7).^Note 
• Regardless of the sex of the victim, family violence against seniors was higher in rural areas (93 victims per 100,000 population) than urban areas (60). Rates of non-family violence against seniors were similar in rural (130) and urban (135) areas (Table 3.8).^Note 
• Overall, rates of family violence were lower among seniors living in Canada’s largest cities (census metropolitan areas or CMAs) than non-CMAs (60 victims versus 83 victims per 100,000 population, respectively). Among the CMAs, the rate of family violence against seniors was highest in Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (114 victims per 100,000 population), which was largely driven by the rate of violence against female seniors (134) (Table 3.9).^Note 
• The rate of family violence was higher for female seniors in the majority of Canada’s CMAs. The exceptions were in Sherbrooke, St. Catharines–Niagara, Barrie, Thunder Bay, Regina, Abbotsford–Mission and Victoria (Table 3.9).

Over one-third of family-related homicide of seniors motivated by frustration, anger or despair

• Family-related homicides occur within complex interpersonal contexts that can be difficult to capture through police-reported data.^Note  Nonetheless, an analysis of police-reported motives is important for violence prevention policy. Frustration, anger or despair (37%)—a range of emotions typical of offenders exerting control over victims—and argument or quarrel (36%) were the most common primary motives for family-related homicides of seniors between 2008 and 2018. In comparison, these motives accounted for a smaller proportion of non-family related homicide against seniors (25% and 20%, respectively) (Table 3.10).
• Between 2008 and 2018, the rate of family-related homicide among seniors increased 32% (from 2.8 victims per 1 million seniors to 3.6). An increase (+34%) was also recorded in the rate of non-family homicide against seniors (3.2 victims per 1 million seniors in 2008 to 4.3 in 2018). In 2018, there were 22 senior victims of family-related homicide (Table 3.11).

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Detailed data tables

Table 3.1 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex and relationship of accused to victim, Canada, 2018

Table 3.2 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex and type of violation, Canada, 2018

Table 3.3 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex, type of violation and clearance status, Canada, 2018

Table 3.4 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex, incident location and relationship of accused to victim, Canada, 2018

Table 3.5 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by sex of victim, type of weapon present and level of injury, Canada, 2018

Table 3.6 Persons accused of police-reported family and non-family violence against seniors, by accused sex, age group and relationship of accused to victim, Canada, 2018

Table 3.7 Senior victims of police-reported family violence and non-family violence, by victim sex and province or territory, 2017 to 2018

Table 3.8 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex and urban or rural area, provinces, 2018

Table 3.9 Senior victims of police-reported family and non-family violence, by victim sex and census metropolitan area, 2018

Table 3.10 Senior victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by victim sex and type of motive, Canada, 2008 to 2018

Table 3.11 Senior victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by victim sex and year, Canada, 2008 to 2018

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