Study: Victimization of older Canadians

View the most recent version.

In 2009, more than 154,000 or 2% of people aged 55 or older living in the 10 provinces reported that they had been the victim of a violent crime in the previous 12 months.

Older Canadians reported experiencing close to 241,000 incidents of violence in 2009, representing a rate of 28 per 1,000 population. This rate remained essentially unchanged from 2004, when data were last collected.

Older Canadians reported the lowest rates of violent victimization. For example, the rate of violent victimization among people aged 55 and older was about one-tenth the rate for the youngest group, aged 15 to 24.

The types of violence experienced by older individuals were similar to those reported by Canadians under the age of 55. Both groups cited physical assault as the most common type of violent victimization.

Older people who experienced a violent incident were more likely than younger people to report it to police. Almost half (46%) of all violent victimizations against older people were brought to the attention of police, compared with just over one-quarter (28%) of violent incidents against younger people.

Of Canadian households solely composed of residents aged 55 and over, 8% reported being the victim of a household crime in 2009. Overall, the rate of household victimization among older households has remained stable since 2004.

The rate of household victimization for older households was less than one-half the rate reported by younger households. Theft of household property was the most common form of non-violent crime reported by both groups.

The majority (91%) of older Canadians felt satisfied with their personal safety from crime. However, this proportion fell to 83% among older people who had been the victim of a violent crime during the past year.

Note: This Juristat article presents information on self-reported violent and household victimization of people aged 55 and over in the 10 provinces. This study also examines the reporting of victimization incidents to police, older Canadians' perceptions of personal safety, their sense of community belonging, and their use of crime prevention methods.

Data are drawn from the 2009 General Social Survey on Victimization, a self-reported survey conducted every five years on Canadians aged 15 years and older living in the 10 provinces.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4504.

The Juristat article "Victimization of older Canadians, 2009" (85-002-X, free), is now available. From the Key resource module of our website under Publications, choose All subjects, then Crime and justice, and Juristat.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Statistics Canada's National Contact Centre (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 613-951-8116; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or the Media Hotline (613-951-4636), Communications Division.