Police in Canada reported 142,724 victims of family violence in 2024, a rate of 349 per 100,000 people, almost unchanged from 2023 (−0.2%) but 17% higher than in 2018, according to Statistics Canada. Intimate partner violence affected 128,175 victims aged 12 and older (356 per 100,000), and women and girls made up 78% of them.
Data: Statistics Canada, “Trends in police-reported family violence and intimate partner violence in Canada, 2024”, The Daily, released 28 October 2025, and its Tables 1 and 2. These are the latest published figures; 2025 data had not been released when this guide was updated. Comparisons marked as ours are our own arithmetic from the published rates. Updated 28 October 2026.
All figures are police-reported and refer to 2024 unless another year is named. Because much family violence is never reported, they underestimate the problem.
Key facts
- Canada recorded 142,724 police-reported victims of family violence in 2024, a rate of 349 per 100,000 people (Statistics Canada, released 28 October 2025).
- The family violence rate was 17% higher in 2024 than in 2018 and changed by −0.2% from 2023.
- 128,175 people aged 12 and older were victims of police-reported intimate partner violence in 2024, a rate of 356 per 100,000; 78% were women and girls.
- Women and girls experienced family violence at a rate of 474 per 100,000, 2.1 times the rate for men and boys (224).
- Saskatchewan (737 per 100,000) had the highest family violence rate among the provinces and Ontario (237) the lowest.
- 187 people were killed by a family member in 2024 (0.45 per 100,000), including 100 victims of intimate partner homicide.
What is family violence?
Family violence is violence committed by a spouse or former spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling or another relative, such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin or in-law, according to Statistics Canada’s definition. Spouses include legally married, separated, divorced and common-law partners, and current or former dating partners who lived together.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is violence committed by a current or former spouse, common-law partner, dating partner or other intimate partner. The two categories overlap, so they should not be added together.
How common is family violence in Canada?
Family violence in Canada reached 349 police-reported victims per 100,000 people in 2024, which means roughly one person in every 290 was a recorded victim that year (our calculation). The rate has been broadly flat since 2023, when it was 350, after rising almost every year since 2018.
| Measure (Canada) | Victims 2024 | Rate per 100,000 (2024) | Change vs 2023 | Change vs 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family violence | 142,724 | 349 | −0.2% | +17% |
| Intimate partner violence (aged 12+) | 128,175 | 356 | +0.02% | +14% |
| Family homicide | 187 | 0.45 | n/a | n/a |
| Intimate partner homicide (aged 12+) | 100 | 0.27 | n/a | n/a |
Source: Statistics Canada, The Daily, 28 October 2025. n/a = change not given in the release.
Intimate partner violence is a large part of all violent crime: 28% of all victims of police-reported violent crime in 2024 were victimized by an intimate partner. For the wider picture of violent and property crime, see our guide to the crime rate in Canada.
Is family violence going up in Canada?
Police-reported family violence in Canada has risen 17% since 2018, from 299 to 349 victims per 100,000, but the rate did not increase between 2023 and 2024. Rates fell from 2009 to 2014, then climbed, and the 2024 level is just above the 2009 level.
The 2018 comparison needs care. In 2018 police services adopted a new definition of a “founded” incident, which increased the number of incidents recorded and charges laid, so part of the rise may reflect recording practices rather than more violence. Since 2018 the rate grew faster for men and boys (+21%) than for women and girls (+16%), although women and girls still face much higher rates. See whether crime is going up in Canada overall.
Which province has the highest rate of family violence?
Saskatchewan had the highest police-reported family violence rate among Canada’s provinces in 2024, at 737 victims per 100,000, about 2.1 times the national rate of 349 (our calculation). Manitoba followed at 568. The territories had far higher rates than any province.
| Province or territory | Family violence rate per 100,000 (2024) | IPV rate per 100,000 (2024) | Family violence vs Canada (our calculation) | Family violence change 2018–2024 (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 349 | 356 | 1.0× | +17% |
| Saskatchewan | 737 | 714 | 2.1× | +20% |
| Manitoba | 568 | 607 | 1.6× | +13% |
| Quebec | 459 | 401 | 1.3× | +29% |
| New Brunswick | 428 | 444 | 1.2× | +19% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 389 | 415 | 1.1× | +25% |
| Alberta | 371 | 382 | 1.1× | +1% |
| Nova Scotia | 294 | 321 | 0.8× | +3% |
| Prince Edward Island | 266 | 289 | 0.8× | 0% |
| British Columbia | 264 | 269 | 0.8× | +4% |
| Ontario | 237 | 278 | 0.7× | +22% |
| Yukon | 1,046 | 1,328 | 3.0× | +8% |
| Northwest Territories | 3,494 | 3,877 | 10.0× | +16% |
| Nunavut | 5,355 | 5,786 | 15.3× | +52% |
Rates: victims per 100,000 population (IPV: population aged 12 and older). Source: Statistics Canada, The Daily, 28 October 2025, Tables 1 and 2. Ratios and 2018–2024 changes are our calculation from the rounded published rates.
Rates declined in most provinces and territories between 2023 and 2024. Since 2018 the largest provincial increases were in Quebec for family violence (+29%) and in Newfoundland and Labrador for intimate partner violence (+30%). The same provinces that lead on family violence also have the highest overall crime severity; see our crime rate by province ranking, the guide to crime in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the explainer on crime in Yukon, NWT and Nunavut.
By region, Statistics Canada recorded 1,052 family violence victims per 100,000 in the North, 465 in the rural south and 284 in the urban south in 2024. All three regions had higher rates in 2024 than in 2018.
Who are the victims of family violence?
Women and girls are the majority of family violence victims in Canada: their 2024 rate was 474 per 100,000, compared with 224 for men and boys. For intimate partner violence the gap is wider, 553 versus 158 per 100,000 people aged 12 and older, or 3.5 times higher.
- Children and youth (17 and under): 25,938 victims of family violence in 2024, a rate of 345 per 100,000. About 30% of young victims of violent crime were hurt by a family member. Parents were the accused in 61% of cases. Girls made up 60% of victims, and 44% of family violence against girls involved a sexual offence. See also youth crime in Canada.
- Seniors (65 and over): 7,622 victims in 2024, a rate of 98 per 100,000, the highest on record and up 49% since 2018. A grown child was the accused in 36% of cases and a spouse in 28%.
- Intimate partners: the IPV rate peaked at age 30 for women and girls (1,146 per 100,000) and at age 38 for men and boys (308). About 47% of victims, where known, lived with the accused.
What kinds of violence are reported?
Physical assault is the most common form of police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada, accounting for 72% of IPV victims in 2024. Sexual offences made up 9%, criminal harassment 7% and uttering threats 7%.
Sexual offences were a much larger share for women and girls (11%) than for men and boys (2%). A weapon was present for 16% of IPV victims and a firearm for about 1%. Our page on sexual assault statistics in Canada covers all sexual offences, not only those within families.
How many people are killed by family members?
Family homicide in Canada claimed 187 victims in 2024, a rate of 0.45 per 100,000, and 100 of them were killed by an intimate partner (0.27 per 100,000 aged 12 and older). From 2014 to 2024 there were 1,755 victims of family homicide, 59% of them women and girls, and 963 victims of intimate partner homicide, 79% of them women and girls. City-level figures for all homicides are in our homicide rate by city guide.
How reliable are family violence statistics?
- Most family violence is never reported. Statistics Canada states that police data “underestimate the full scope of the issue”.
- Ongoing abuse can count as one incident. Repeated violence by the same person may be recorded as a single continuous incident.
- Definitions changed in 2018. The new “founded” incident standard raised counts, so long-term trends should be read with care.
Where can someone get help?
Anyone in immediate danger in Canada should call 911. The Government of Canada keeps a list of family violence helplines and services by province and territory, including shelters and support for children, Indigenous people and trans people. Kids Help Phone is available 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868. To report a crime that is not an emergency, see how to report a crime in Canada. If you are thinking about a personal safety app, our guide to safety apps for women in Canada explains what features matter.
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Family violence in Canada FAQ
How many people experience family violence in Canada?
Police recorded 142,724 victims of family violence in Canada in 2024, a rate of 349 per 100,000 people. Because most cases are not reported, the true number is higher.
What percentage of intimate partner violence victims are women?
Women and girls were 78% of the 128,175 victims of police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada in 2024. Their rate was 553 per 100,000, compared with 158 for men and boys.
Which province has the most domestic violence?
Among provinces, Saskatchewan had the highest police-reported rates in 2024: 737 family violence victims and 714 intimate partner violence victims per 100,000. Ontario had the lowest family violence rate at 237.
Is domestic violence increasing in Canada?
The family violence rate was 17% higher in 2024 than in 2018 but did not rise from 2023 to 2024 (−0.2%). Part of the increase since 2018 may reflect a change in how police record incidents.
Related: crime rate by province · sexual assault statistics Canada · crime in Saskatchewan and Manitoba · homicide rate by city · safety apps for women · Canada crime map · Statistics Canada release. In an emergency call 911.