Family violence

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Almost 1.2 million Canadians—8% of  women and 7% of men—faced some form of violence in their marriage or common-law relationship between 1995 and 1999.

Women were generally more severely victimized—that is, beaten or choked—while men were slapped, kicked, bitten, hit or had something thrown at them. More than a third of women in violent unions feared for their lives.

Women younger than 25 and men between 25 and 34 were most at risk of victimization, as were those living in common-law relationships, with a heavy drinker or with an emotionally abusive partner. Individuals reported more severe and more frequent episodes of violence by a former partner than a current partner.

The highest spousal homicide rates were in the territories, the lowest in Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. Between 1979 and 1998, 1,468 women and 433 men were killed by a spouse in Canada.