Intimate partner violence is a prevalent and growing issue in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, there were 114,132 police-reported victims of intimate partner violence in 2021, marking the seventh consecutive year of increased rates of violence.
Intimate partner violence refers to harmful behaviours perpetrated by a current or former partner over another. This can include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse and coercive control.
The issue is particularly significant in the Canadian Prairies, where rates of police-reported intimate partner violence are consistently highest. However, these rates do not reflect the pervasive nature of this issue, as approximately seven out of 10 incidents of intimate partner violence are never reported to police.
