Statistics Canada
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Violence against children and youth
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Violence against children is an important problem. In 2005, 36,895 children and youth in Canada under age 18 reported to police that they had been physically or sexually assaulted. The victimization rate of assaulted youth was 563 per 100,000 population, and for sexual assault it was 206per 100,000.
Most violent acts against children and youth are committed by people known to them. For every 100,000 population, 348 youth were victims of physical or sexual assault at the hands of a friend or an acquaintance, 200 were victimized by a family member, and 120 were victimized by a stranger, according to 2005 police-reported data.
Physical injuries are one of the most visible consequences of violence against youth. In 2005, 36% of victimized children and youth suffered a minor physical injury and 1% suffered a serious physical injury. Although the rates of physical assault perpetrated within the family were similar for boys and girls, boys were more likely than girls to have suffered serious physical injuries.
The rate of sexual assault was highest among girls—almost four times higher than that for boys. The rate of sexual assault committed by family members was three times higher for girls than for boys.
Sixty children and youth under age 18 were the victims of homicide in 2005: more than one-third of these homicides were committed by a family member, most likely by a parent. Fathers were more likely than mothers to have been the perpetrators.
From 1996 to 2005, 28% of children and youth killed by a family member were infants. Male infants were more likely than female infants to be killed by a family member.
