1. 1 Measuring violence against women: The Canadian experience François Nault Director, Statistics Canada November 2013

2. 2 Statistics Canada data sources to measure violence against women Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Police-reported administrative surveys  Uniform Crime Reporting Survey  Homicide Survey Self-reported victimization survey  General Social Survey on Victimization Other administrative surveys  Transition Home Survey (shelters for abused women)  Victim Services Survey

3. 3 Police statistics – Uniform Crime Reporting Survey Statistics Canada Statistique Canada  Collecting aggregate police statistics since 1962.  In 1988, it began collecting micro data from police services. Victim and accused characteristics Incident characteristics Relationship of victim and accused  Number of police services covered in the micro data increased steadily over the years. The coverage now stands at 99%.

4. 4 Women almost four times more likely than men to be victims of intimate partner violence, 2011 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Source: Statistics Canada, Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. Rate per 100,000 population

5. 5 Police statistics – Homicide Survey Statistics Canada Statistique Canada  Homicide Survey began in 1961  Began collecting data on family-related homicides in 1974  In 1991, 1997, and 2005, the survey was revised and expanded Relationship categories Previous conviction history History of domestic violence Victim’s use of force at the time of the homicide

6. 6 Rates of intimate partner homicide declined by half in last 20 years Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Source: Statistics Canada, Homicide Survey.

7. 7 Advantages and disadvantages of police-reported data Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Advantages  Annual statistics  Standard measure over time and among cities and provinces  Based on physical evidence and witnesses  Mandatory survey Disadvantages  No victim information exists for non-violent crime, such as financial abuse (e.g., theft, forgery, fraud)  No information about the consequences of violence beyond physical injury  Includes only those incidents that come to the attention of police, which is a greater issue for intimate partner violence and sexual violence

8. 8 Self-reported victimization surveys Statistics Canada Statistique Canada  Canadian Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS) One-time sample survey of Canadian women aged 15 years and older conducted in 1993 Conducted by phone  General Social Survey on Victimization Began in 1988, repeated every five years Sample survey of Canadians aged 15 years and older Conducted by phone

9. 9 Lessons learned from the Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS) Statistics Canada Statistique Canada The importance of early and transparent consultation with stakeholders and potential critics to ensure the utility and relevance of the data. The need to use recognized definitions for measuring social phenomenon (e.g., Criminal Code). The need to have collection approaches and mechanisms that are appropriate given the sensitivity of the subject matter (i.e., sensitivity training, sex of interviewers). The importance of establishing in advance an analytical framework that will produce policy relevant “information”, not just numbers.

10. 10 Building from the VAWS experience Statistics Canada Statistique Canada  Statistics Canada considered options for integrating the survey content within an existing population- based survey.  It was decided to develop a special module on spousal violence within the General Social Survey (GSS). The questions contained in this module were modelled off the VAWS.

11. 11 Self-reported victimization surveys Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Improvements to the GSS with each cycle 1988: First general victim survey 1993: Better measures of sexual assault 1999: Special modules to measure spousal violence, now repeated with every victimization cycle 2004: Special module on criminal harassment/stalking 2009: Cybercrime and experiences of victimization before the age of 15 2014: Expansion of questions on victimization in childhood and new questions on dating violence and witnessing spousal violence as a child.

12. 12 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada † reference category * significantly different from reference category (p < 0.05) Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey on Victimization. * * Women more likely to experience severe forms of spousal violence, 2009

13. 13 Statistics Canada Statistique Canada † reference category * significantly different from reference category (p < 0.05) Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey on Victimization. Dealt with another way: Top reason for not reporting spousal violence to police, 2009 *

14. 14 Advantages and disadvantages of self-reported data Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Advantages  Allows examination of crime that goes unreported to police  Provides information on non-violent forms of spousal abuse (i.e., emotional and financial abuse)  Captures information on consequences of victimization, levels of reporting to police, children’s exposure to spousal violence and social service utilization Disadvantages  Possible exclusion of certain population groups of women - those living in institutions and those unable to communicate in English or French  Voluntary: relies on willingness of Canadians to participate  Subject to sampling error

15. 15 Two additional surveys Statistics Canada Statistique Canada Transition Home Survey  Mail survey to all shelters in Canada  Bi-annual  Characteristics of shelters and services  One-day snapshot of women and children residents Victim Services Survey  Mail survey to all victim services  Characteristics of victim services  One-day snapshot of victims provided service

16. 16 Analysis and dissemination Statistics Canada Statistique Canada  Collecting data on violence against women and men is not enough. Gender-based analysis of data is critical to ensuring the information is relevant to both policy and programs.  Statistics Canada is committed to conducting robust analysis on women’s experience of victimization and making these findings publicly available (e.g., recent release of ‘Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends’ - February 2013)  Future efforts will continue to link record within and across surveys to further strengthen analysis and address information gaps.