The Evolution of Measuring Violence Against Women at Statistics Canada

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The Evolution of Measuring Violence
AgainstWomen at Statistics Canada

• UN Global Forum on Gender Statistics
• December 10-12, 2007
• Presented by Heather Dryburgh
• On behalf of the Canadian Centre for Justice
  Statistics, Statistics Canada

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Statistics Canada data sources to measure
violence against women

• Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (police data)
• Homicide Survey
• Victimization Surveys
• Transition Home Survey
• Victim Services Survey
• Record linkage

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Police statistics Uniform Crime Reporting Survey

• Collecting aggregate police statistics since
  1962.
• In 1988 began collecting micro data from police
  forces.
• Victim and accused characteristics
• Incident characteristics
• Relationship of victim and accused

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Women represent a large majority of all victims
of spousal violence reported to the police, 2004
(84)
(16)
Source Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for
Justice Statistics, Revised Uniform Crime
Reporting Survey, 2004
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Police statistics - Homicide Survey

• Homicide Survey began in 1961.
• Began collecting data on family-related homicides
  in 1974.
• 1991 and 1997 revised and expanded
• Previous conviction history
• History of domestic violence
• Victims use of force at time of incident

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Rates of spousal homicide declined by half,
1974-2004
Source Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for
Justice Statistics, Homicide Survey.
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Risk of spousal homicide highest for young women,
1994 -2003
Rate per million
Source Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for
Justice Statistics, Homicide Survey, 1994-2003.
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Advantages of police data

• Annual statistics
• Standard measure over time and among cities and
  provinces
• Criminal Code definitions
• Based on physical evidence and witnesses

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Disadvantages of police data

• Not representative of all crimes
• Little information about victims, ie.,
  characteristics, consequences, outcomes
• Subject to changes in victim reporting,
  legislation, police policies, societal attitudes

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Statistics Canadas Victimization Surveys

• General Social Survey on Victimization 1988,
  1993, 1999, 2004
• 1993 - Improvements made to better measure sexual
  assault
• 1999 - Special modules to measure spousal
  violence
• 2004 Added a module to measure criminal
  harassment or stalking
• 1993 - National Survey on Violence Against Women

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Objectives of Measuring Violence Against Women

• Nature and extent of violence
• Dimensions of womens fear
• Consequences and outcomes of violence
• Use of police and other services
• Theory testing, e.g. violence and pregnancy
• Policy development

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Rates of violence against women by relationship,
since the age of 16
Percent
Violence Against Women Survey, 1993
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Measuring Spousal Violence

• Threatened to hit you in a way that could hurt
  you.
• Threw something at you that could hurt you.
• Pushed, grabbed or shoved you in a way that could
  hurt you.
• Slapped you.
• Kicked, bit, or hit you his/her fist.
• Hit you with something.
• Beaten you.
• Choked you.
• Use a gun/knife.
• Sexual Assault.

14
Rates of wife assault by most serious type of
violence
Percent
Violence Against Women Survey, 1993
15
Emotional abuse by current and previous
spouses/common-law partners
16
Abuse report

• Physical injury by type of injury
• Sought medical attention, hospitalization
• Stay in bed/Take time off
• Partners alcohol use
• Anyone else harmed or threatened, including kids
• Children witnessed violence
• Fear for life

• Compensation
• Police intervention - why reported or not,
  satisfaction with actions
• Restraining orders
• Use of informal and formal supports (reason not
  used)
• Victim-offender mediation
• Emotional impact of violence

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Spousal violence more prevalent in previous unions
(5 years)
Source General Social Survey, 2004
18
Women experience more serious types of violence
Source General Social Survey, 2004
19
Violence against women has more serious outcomes
Source General Social Survey, 2004
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Transition Home Survey

• Mail survey to all shelters (524)
• Bi-annual
• Characteristics of shelters and services
• One-day snapshot of women and children residents

21
Victim Services Survey

• Mail survey to all victim services (606)
• Characteristics of victim services
• One-day snapshot of victims provided service

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Future efforts

• Continue monitoring trends through police
  reported statistics.
• Continue to include measures of spousal violence
  and criminal harassment on the GSS on
  Victimization (2009).
• Continue to undertake the Transition Home Survey
  and Victim Services Survey.
• Continue data linkage of police and courts files
  and move towards linking across systems to better
  understand case processing and outcomes of
  violence against women cases.