Measuring violence against women The Canadian experience Franois

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

Statistics Canada data sources to measure violence against women 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 2 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Police statistics – Uniform Crime Reporting Survey § 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%. 3 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

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

Police statistics – Homicide Survey § 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 • • 5 Relationship categories Previous conviction history History of domestic violence Victim’s use of force at the time of the homicide Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

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

Advantages and disadvantages of police-reported data 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 7 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Self-reported victimization surveys § 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 8 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Lessons learned from the Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS) • 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. 9 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Building from the VAWS experience § Statistics Canada considered options for integrating the survey content within an existing populationbased 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. 10 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Self-reported victimization surveys 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. 11 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Women more likely to experience severe forms of spousal violence, 2009 * * † reference category * significantly different from reference category (p < 0. 05) Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey on Victimization. Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada 12

Dealt with another way: Top reason for not reporting spousal violence to police, 2009 * † reference category * significantly different from reference category (p < 0. 05) Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey on Victimization. 13 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Advantages and disadvantages of self-reported data 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 14 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Two additional surveys 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 15 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada

Analysis and dissemination § 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. 16 Statistics Canada • Statistique Canada