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- [1] Intimate partner violence is violence that a woman or man may
experience at any time during an intimate relationship. This includes from the
time two people become interested in and involved with one another; as the
relationship develops; while it is breaking down; or after it has ended. Dating
violence is also a form of intimate partner violence. See "Dating Violence
Overview Paper" for more information. JHG Consulting,
"Intimate Partner Violence Training", (Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada
project, 2005). Module 1.
- [2] Other forms of abuse, such as sibling abuse, parent abuse, and
ritual abuse, have also been explored.
- [3] Assault and unlawful confinement arecriminal
offences in Canada.
- [4] For further information about female genital mutilation, see World
Health Organization, "Female genital mutilation",
and UNICEF, "Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse: female
genital mutilation/cutting".
- Female genital mutilation is a crime
in Canada under section 268 of the Criminal Code of Canada and has
serious health consequences. See C. Wekerle and D.A. Wolfe, "Child Maltreatment",
Chapter 14 in Child Psychopathology, edited by E.J. Mash and R.A.
Barkey, 2nd ed. (New York: Guildford Press, 2003 [see confirm date note in
master list]).
- [5] Sexual assault and sexual exploitation are criminal offences in Canada.
- [6] Kathleen Coulborn Faller, Understanding and Assessing Child
Sexual Maltreatment (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2003): 19-21.
- [7] See, for example, information on date rape drugs from the University of Calgary.
- [8] See section 273.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
- [9] A single incident that is overtly threatening may be considered
criminal harassment. See Department of Justice Canada, Stalking is a Crime
Called Criminal Harassment (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2003).
- [10] See Statistics Canada, Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005.
(Ottawa: Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada—Minister of Industry Canada, 2005). Department of Justice Canada. A Handbook for Police and
Crown Prosecutors on Criminal Harassment. 2nd ed. (Ottawa: Minister
of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2004): 1; Department of Justice
Canada. Stalking is a Crime Called Criminal Harassment (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2003).
- [11] Theft, fraud, forgery and extortion are criminal offences in Canada.
- [12] Withholding the necessities of life, such as money to buy food or
medical treatment, is a criminal offence in Canada.
- [13] Withholding the necessities of life, such as money to buy food or
medical treatment, is a criminal offence in Canada.
- [14] Contacts for local child welfare agency can be found in local
telephone books or through the Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare.
- [15] See Committee on Sexual Offences Against Children and Youth, Sexual
Offences Against Children in Canada: Report of the Committee on Sexual Offences
Against Children and Youth [the Badgley Report] (Ottawa: Supply and
Services Canada, 1984).
- [16] See Karen Rodgers, "Wife assault: The findings of a national
survey", Juristat 14, 9 (Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics,
Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-002).
- [17] See Canadian Panel on Violence against Women, Final Report of
the Canadian Panel on Violence against Women: Changing the landscape: ending
violence—achieving equality (Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1993).
- [18] See Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, The Path to Healing (Ottawa:
Supply and Services Canada, 1993).
- [19] See Nico Trocmé et al. Canadian Incidence Study of Reported
Child Abuse and Neglect—2003: Major Findings (Ottawa: Public Health Agency
of Canada; Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2005).
- [20] Nico Trocmé et al. Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child
Abuse and Neglect—2003: Major Findings (Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2005) 1.
- [21] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 8.
- [22] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 8.
- [23] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 25-26.
- [24] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 20.
- [25] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 34-35.
- [26] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile
2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 73.
- [27] The Incident-based Uniform Crime reporting (UCR2) survey in 2006
collected data from a subset of 149 police services
across Canada representing approximately 90% of the Canadian population.
- [28] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2008 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 X, 2008): 10.
- [29] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2008 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 X, 2008): 12.
- [30] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2008 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 X, 2008): 26.
- [31] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2008 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 X, 2008): 27.
- [32] Nico Trocmé et al. Canadian Incidence
Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect—2003: Major Findings (Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2005): 1.
- [33] Data from 2005 UCR2 Survey, as reported
in: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2007 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No. 85-224-XIE, 2007): 32.
- [34] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2007 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2007): 9.
- [35] Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. Family
Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2005 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No.85-224 XIE, 2005): 60.
- [36] Jacinthe Loubier, "A Statistical Profile of Vulnerable Canadians", JustResearch,
13 (2005): 57-61.
- [37] See: Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice
Statistics. Victimization and offending among the Aboriginal population in Canada (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No. 85-002 XIE, 2006); and Larry Chartrand and Celeste
McKay, A Review of Research on Criminal Victimization and First Nations,
Métis and Inuit Peoples 1990 to 2001 (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2006).
- [38] Health Canada, Breaking the Links Between Poverty and Violence
Against Women. Prepared by Jane Gurr, Louise Mailloux, Dianne Kinnon and Susan Doerge (Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1996).
- [39] Research has shown that individuals with disabilities experience
high rates of abuse. Specific vulnerabilities may include: dependence on others
for care; mobility, communications or transportation barriers; social
isolation; poverty; discrimination; and specific fears about reporting abuse,
e.g., institutionalization. See Public Health Agency of Canada. National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Violence Against Women with Disabilities.
Overview Paper prepared by Doris Rajan, The Roeher Institute (Ottawa: National
Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 2004); Public Health Agency of Canada. National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Family Violence and People with Intellectual
Disabilities. Overview Paper prepared by Dick Sobsey, J.P. Das
Developmental Disabilities Centre, University of Alberta (Ottawa: National
Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 2002); Jamie C. MacDougall, Family
Violence and the Deaf—Legal Education and Information Issues: A National Needs
Assessment (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2000); L'Institut Roeher
Institute, Harm's Way: The Many Faces of Violence and Abuse Against Persons
with Disabilities (Toronto: L'Institut Roeher Institute, 1995).
- [40] Visible minorities may experience
linguistic or cultural barriers, racism, and other social and economic barriers
that may increase their vulnerability to victimization. See Katrina
Pacey, Assisting Immigrant and Refugee Women Abused by Their Sponsors: A
Guide for Service Providers (Vancouver: B.C. Institute Against Family
Violence, 2003); Ekuwa Smith, "Key elements of the homelessness experience
among immigrant and refugee women", Responding to Partner Violence, National
Network on Partner Violence Against Immigrant and Visible Minority Women
Electronic Bulletin, 2 (2005); Ekuwa Smith, Nowhere to Turn? Responding
to Partner Violence Against Immigrant and Visible Minority Women (Ottawa:
Canadian Council on Social Development, 2004); Yasmin Jiwani, Intersecting
Inequalities: Immigrant Women of Colour, Violence & Health Care,
(Vancouver: Feminist Research, Education, Development & Action, 2001);
Swati Shirwadkar, "Canadian Domestic Violence Policy and Indian Immigrant
Women", Violence Against Women, 10, 8, (2004): 860-879; Helene Berman and
Jasmin Jiwani (Eds.), In the Best Interests of the Girl Child, Phase II
Report, (Ottawa: Alliance of Five Research Centres on Violence, 1999); Helene
Berman and Jasmin Yiwani (Eds.), Violence Prevention and the Girl Child:
Final Report, (Ottawa: Alliance of Five Research Centres on Violence,
2002).
- [41] New immigrants and refugees may face unique vulnerabilities due to
cultural and linguistic barriers, racism and other forms of discrimination;
lack of access to the criminal justice system and other services and supports;
and specific fears of reporting abuse, e.g., complications in immigration or
sponsorship status.
- [42] Research indicates that, as in heterosexual relationships, gays and
lesbians sometimes experience abuse in their intimate relationships. Their
vulnerability to abuse, however, may be increased by an overall lack of
awareness of this issue, discriminatory attitudes, homophobia, lack of family
support, and fear of reporting abuse in order to avoid coming out. Other
factors may include poverty or serious illness. See Public Health Agency of Canada. National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Abuse in Gay Male Relationships: A
Discussion Paper. Paper prepared by Kevin Kirkland (Ottawa: National
Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 2004); Health Canada. Abuse in Lesbian
Relationships: Information and Resources. Prepared by Laurie C. Chesley,
Donna MacAulay and Janice L. Ristock (Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and
Government Services, 1998).
- [43] Individuals living in rural or remote communities who experience
abuse may be made more vulnerable due to the following: distance, geographic
isolation, transportation or communications issues, access to/availability of
services and support, confidentiality issues, community attitudes/awareness,
and the insider/outsider phenomenon. See Yasmin Jiwani et al., "Rural Women and
Violence: A Study of Two Communities in British Columbia." Working Document (Ottawa:
Department of Justice Canada, 2000); Deborah Doherty, Muriel McQueen Fergusson
Centre for Family Violence Research, Making Family Violence Law Information
Available to People in Rural Areas: An Inventory of Promising Practices (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2002); Michelle Aukema, "Sexual Abuse in
Rural, Remote and Small Communities" in Violence in the Family—Social Work
Readings and Research from Northern and Rural Canada edited by Keith
Brownlee and John R. Graham (Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2005);
Department of Justice Canada, Research Report—The Ontario Rural Woman Abuse
Study (ORWAS): Final Report. Prepared by Lori Biesenthal et al. (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2000)
- [44] Yasmin Jiwani, Intersecting Inequalities: Immigrant Women of
Colour, Violence & Health Care, (Vancouver: Feminist Research,
Education, Development & Action, 2001).
- [45] "Dislocation" means being removed from one's language, culture,
family and community. Dislocation is a situation that
has affected Aboriginal children who were sent to residential schools as well
as immigrants and refugees to Canada.
- [46] "Colonization" is "that process of
encroachment and subsequent subjugation of Aboriginal peoples since the arrival
of Europeans. From the Aboriginal perspective, it refers to loss of lands,
resources, and self-direction and to the severe disturbance of cultural ways
and values." Source: Emma D. LaRoque "Violence in Aboriginal Communities"
in The Path to Healing with permission from the Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples (Ottawa: Health Canada, 1994): 73.
- [47] Statistics Canada. Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical
Profile 2000 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No: 85-224, 2000): 27;
Harbison, 1999, as cited in Statistics Canada. Canadian Centre for Justice
Statistics. Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2002 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Cat. No: 85-224, 2002): 27.
- [48] Law Commission of Canada, "Restoring Dignity: Responding to Child
Abuse in Canadian Institutions." The International Journal of Human Rights 10, 3 (January 2002): 295-302.
- [49] Michael Bopp, Judie Bopp and Phil Lane, Four Worlds Centre for
Development Learning, Aboriginal Domestic Violence in Canada (Ottawa: The Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2003); Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Applying Inuit Cultural Approaches in the Prevention of Family Violence and
Abuse. Research Report for the National Inuit Abuse Prevention Strategy (Ottawa: Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, 2005); Native Women's Association of Canada,
Sisters in Spirit Initiative.
- [50] Dr. John H. Hylton et al., Aboriginal Sexual Offending in Canada (Ottawa: The Aboriginal Healing Foundation; the Law Commission of Canada, 2002). Restoring Dignity: Responding to Child Abuse in Canadian Institutions (Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2000): 51-70. Michael Bopp,
Judie Bopp and Phil Lane, Four Worlds Centre for Development Learning, Aboriginal
Domestic Violence in Canada (Ottawa: The Aboriginal Healing Foundation,
2003); Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Applying Inuit Cultural Approaches
in the Prevention of Family Violence and Abuse. Research Report for the
National Inuit Abuse Prevention Strategy (Ottawa: Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, 2005).
- [51] Michael Bopp, Judie Bopp and Phil Lane, Four Worlds Centre for Development
Learning, Aboriginal Domestic Violence in Canada (Ottawa: The Aboriginal
Healing Foundation, 2003): ix-xi.
- [52] Health Canada, The Consequences of
Child Maltreatment: A Reference Guide for Health Practitioners. Prepared by
Jeff Latimer (Ottawa: Health Canada, 1998).
- [53] Health Canada, A Handbook for Health and Social Service
Providers and Educators on Children Exposed to Woman Abuse/Family Violence. Prepared by Marlies Suderman and Peter Jaffe (Ottawa: Minister of Public Works
and Government Services Canada, 1999): 1.
- See also: Peter G. Jaffe, Linda L.
Baker and Alison J. Cunningham, eds. Protecting Children from Domestic
Violence: Strategies for Community Intervention (New York: The Guilford
Press, 2004); Agar, Sharon, Interventions for Children Who Witness Intimate
Partner Violence: A Literature Review (Vancouver: The British Columbia
Institute Against Family Violence, 2004); Kai-Lee Klymchuk, Mary Cooper and
Katrina Pacey, Children Exposed to Partner Violence: An Overview of Key
Issues (Vancouver: The British Columbia Institute Against Family Violence,
2002); Linda L. Baker et al. "Potential Impacts of Domestic Violence at
Different Developmental Stages", in Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: A
Handbook for Police Trainers to Increase Understanding and Improve Community
Responses (London, ON: Centre for Children and Families in the Justice
System, 2002).
- [54] Lorraine Greaves and Olena Hankivsky, Selected Estimates of the
Costs of Violence Against Women (London, Ontario: Centre for Research on
Violence Against Women and Children, 1995):2. See also: Ambrose Leung, The Cost of Pain and
Suffering from Crime in Canada (Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2004).
- [55] Law Commission of Canada. The Economic Costs and
Consequences of Child Abuse in Canada. Prepared by Audra Bowlus, Katharine
McKenna, Tanis Day and David Right (Ottawa: Law Commission of Canada, 2003).