Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Canada: A Snapshot

Sexual violence

Almost four times as many women as men have been sexually assaulted since age 15^{Footnote 1}.

30% of women

8% of men

Transgender and gender-diverse people^{Footnote 2   Footnote 3} are about 1.5 times more likely than cisgender people tp have been physically or sexually assaulted since age 15.

Intimate partner violence

Women are more likely than men to have experienced intimate partner violence^{Footnote 4} since age 15.

6.2 million: 44% of women

4.9 million: 36% of men^{Footnote 5}

Women account for 79% of victims of intimate partner violence incidents reported to police.

Over recent years, women have made up the vast majority (80%) of all victims of intimate partner homicides.

Gender-based violence at work

In 2018, almost 3 in 10 (29%) women said they had experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour^{Footnote 6} at work in the previous 12 months^{Footnote 7} compared to almost 2 in 10 men (17%).

Four times as many women as men have been sexually assaulted in a work-related context (13% vs. 3%)^{Footnote 8}

Due to intersecting forms of discrimination and inequality, some groups of women^{Footnote 9} are more culnerable to GBV.

Intimate partner violence, police-reported
Incident rates per 100,000 population

In 2018, 12% of women aged 15-24 said they had been sexually assaulted in the previous 12 months, significantly more than among any other age group.

Sexually assaulted since age 15

This infographic was prepared by Women and Gender Equality Canada as part of the Workplan of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Task Team on Gender-Based Violence and Access to Justice 2021-2023. It was shared with the federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for the status of women in December 2021.