Statistics Canada Article on Cases in Criminal Courts Involving Intimate Partner Violence

The Statistics Canada publication Juristat has published an article on Cases in adult criminal courts involving intimate partner violence.

Over the six-year period examined in this study, about two-thirds of all completed adult criminal court cases that involved violence had a female victim (66%). This proportion was higher among intimate partner violence cases, where 85% of victims were female. In non-intimate partner violence cases, males were proportionally more likely to be the victim (57%).

Among the highlights:

• Of completed cases involving police reported intimate partner violence, 54% involved violence between dating partners and 46% involved spousal violence. Just under one-quarter (24%) of all cases involving intimate partners involved violence which occurred after a break-up.
• Cases of intimate partner violence involving a male accused more frequently involved multiple charges than those with a female accused (60% compared to 44%).
• The median length of time to complete an intimate partner violence case (124 days) was shorter than that for cases which did not involve intimate partner violence (non-IPV) (151 days).
• Most completed cases involving violent offences (both IPV and non-IPV) led to a guilty verdict on at least one charge. A slightly larger proportion of non-IPV cases (64%) resulted in a guilty verdict than did IPV cases (60%).
• Probation was the more serious sentence imposed in just under half (49%) of intimate partner violence (IPV) cases with a guilty decision. About one-third (31%) of IPV cases with a guilty decision resulted in a sentence of custody. Breach of probation, sexual assault, and major assault were the types of offences most likely to result in a custody sentence among guilty intimate partner violence cases.
• Males accused in cases involving intimate partner violence were sentenced to custody more frequently than female accused (33% compared to 14%), reflecting the larger proportion of IPV cases with multiple charges involving male accused.
• The majority (85%) of cases involving intimate partner violence resulting in a sentence of custody had a sentence of six months or less. A small proportion (3%) had a sentence of more than one year.