Victims of police-reported violent crime in Manitoba, 2023
In 2023, police services across Manitoba reported 32,102 victims of violent crime and traffic offences causing death or bodily harm (Table 8.1). This represented 2,316 victims per 100,000 population, approximately twice the national rate (1,207 per 100,000).Footnote 61
Most (85%) victims were adults aged 18 and older;Footnote 62 almost half (45%) of all victims were aged 25 to 44 years, representing the largest proportion of any age group (Table 8.1). Meanwhile, 11% of victims were youth aged 12 to 17 years, and 4% were children 11 years and younger. The rate of victims was highest among young adults aged 18 to 24 years (4,549 per 100,000 population), followed by adults aged 25 to 44 years (3,707 per 100,000) and youth aged 12 to 17 years (3,554 per 100,000).Footnote 63
Seven in ten (71%) victims of police-reported violent crime in 2023 were victims of assault.Footnote 64 Assault victims accounted for almost three-quarters (73%) of adult victims aged 18 years and older, and more than half (56%) of child and youth victims aged 17 years and younger.
The second most commonly reported offence was “other violent violations” which accounted for one in five victims (22%).Footnote 65 This category includes offences such as robbery, extortion, and uttering threats, among other violent crimes.
Overall, 5% of police-reported victims of violent crime in Manitoba in 2023 were victims of sexual assault.Footnote 66 Most (61%) sexual assault victims were adults aged 18 years and older, and 30% were youth aged 12 to 17 years. A small number (9%) were children aged 11 years and younger (Table 8.1).
The majority (58%) of victims of sexual violations against children were youth aged 12 to 17 years, and 42% were children aged 11 years and younger (Table 8.1).
While more than half (55%) of all police-reported victims were female, they represented much larger proportions of victims of sexual assault (91%) and sexual violations against children (89%) (Table 8.2).
Most (74%) of victims of homicide, attempted murder and other violations causing death were male, as well as the majority (56%) of victims of other violent violations (Table 8.2).
Male and female victims of police-reported sexual assault differed notably by age. Most (62%) female sexual assault victims were adults aged 18 years and older, while half (50%) of male sexual assault victims were adults.Footnote 67
Compared to female victims, sexual offences were less common among male children and youth aged 17 years and younger, as 4% were victims of sexual assault and 3% were victims of sexual violations against children (20% and 18%, respectively, among female victims).Footnote 68 However, assault was more commonly reported among male child and youth victims (68%) than female child and youth victims (48%).
Victim services in Manitoba
Manitoba’s Department of Justice provides a wide range of victim services including system-based programs that primarily assist victims of the most serious crimes as outlined in The Victims’ Bill of Rights of Manitoba, and victims of domestic violence, child victims and witnesses. The Department of Justice in Manitoba also administers the Victim/Witness Assistance Program which provides court-based support, the Compensation for Victims of Crime Program, and also funds specialized, non-governmental community-based programs that focus on female victims of domestic violence, sexual assault services, child and youth abuse victims, Indigenous victims, family members of victims and family members of missing and murdered Indigenous persons. Furthermore, police-based programs are provided separately by the Winnipeg Police Service, Brandon Police Service and Pembina Valley Victim Services.
The information provided below reflects data provided by Manitoba Victim Services that include victims that have a case where a charge has been laid, and in turn, are involved in the criminal justice system. It does not include information on other victims who may have received assistance from police or community-based service agencies as listed above. Victims involved in multiple separate incidents may be counted more than once in the data.
In 2016, Manitoba Victim Services assisted 10,025 direct victims of crime.
Children and youth accounted for 11% of direct victims assisted by the program.
Detailed data tables
Table 8.1: Number and percentage of victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Table 8.1: Number and percentage of victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Type of violation
Total victims, all ages
Child and youth victims
Adult victims
11 years and younger
12 to 17 years
18 to 24 years
25 to 44 years
45 to 64 years
65 years and older
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Homicide, other violations causing death, and attempted murder
96
100%
1
1.0%
6
6.3%
14
14.6%
50
52.1%
20
20.8%
5
5.2%
Sexual assaults
1,718
100%
157
9.1%
510
29.7%
370
21.5%
524
30.5%
133
7.7%
23
1.3%
Sexual violations against children
594
100%
252
42.4%
342
57.6%
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Assaults
22,671
100%
718
3.2%
2,015
8.9%
4,313
19.0%
11,056
48.8%
3,983
17.6%
569
2.5%
Other violent violations
6,892
100%
211
3.1%
675
9.8%
1,587
23.1%
2,772
40.3%
1,386
20.1%
253
3.7%
Criminal Code traffic violations causing death or bodily harm
131
100%
8
6.1%
10
7.6%
27
20.6%
53
40.5%
23
17.6%
10
7.6%
Total violent violations
32,102
100%
1,347
4.2%
3,558
11.1%
6,311
19.7%
14,455
45.1%
5,545
17.3%
860
2.7%
Table 8.2: Number and percentage of victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and sex, Manitoba, 2023
Table 8.2: Number and percentage of victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and sex, Manitoba, 2023
Type of violation
Total victims
Female victims
Male victims
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Homicide, other violations causing death, and attempted murder
96
100%
25
26.0%
71
74.0%
Sexual assaults
1,718
100%
1,556
90.8%
158
9.2%
Sexual violations against children
594
100%
528
89.2%
64
10.8%
Assaults
22,671
100%
12,263
54.4%
10,293
45.6%
Other violent violations
6,892
100%
3,039
44.1%
3,845
55.9%
Criminal Code traffic violations causing death or bodily harm
131
100%
67
51.1%
64
48.9%
Total violent violations
32,102
100%
17,478
54.7%
14,495
45.3%
Table 8.3: Number and percentage of female victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Table 8.3: Number and percentage of female victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Type of violation
Female victims, all ages
Female child and youth victims
Female adult victims
11 years and younger
12 to 17 years
18 to 24 years
25 to 44 years
45 to 64 years
65 years and older
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Homicide, other violations causing death, and attempted murder
25
100%
0
0
2
8.0%
6
24.0%
10
40.0%
5
20.0%
2
8.0%
Sexual assaults
1,556
100%
120
7.7%
465
29.9%
344
22.1%
484
31.1%
123
7.9%
20
1.3%
Sexual violations against children
528
100%
220
41.7%
308
58.3%
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Assaults
12,263
100%
339
2.8%
1,080
8.8%
2,442
19.9%
6,295
51.4%
1,856
15.1%
246
2.0%
Other violent violations
3,039
100%
111
3.7%
326
10.7%
575
18.9%
1,321
43.5%
605
19.9%
100
3.3%
Criminal Code traffic violations causing death or bodily harm
67
100%
4
6.0%
7
10.4%
12
17.9%
27
40.3%
13
19.4%
4
6.0%
Total violent violations
17,478
100%
794
4.5%
2,188
12.5%
3,379
19.3%
8,137
46.6%
2,602
14.9%
372
2.1%
Table 8.4: Number and percentage of male victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Table 8.4: Number and percentage of male victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic violations causing death or bodily harm, by type of violation and age group, Manitoba, 2023
Type of violation
Male victims, all ages
Male child and youth victims
Male adult victims
11 years and younger
12 to 17 years
18 to 24 years
25 to 44 years
45 to 64 years
65 years and older
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Homicide, other violations causing death, and attempted murder
71
100%
1
1.4%
4
5.6%
8
11.3%
40
56.3%
15
21.1%
3
4.2%
Sexual assaults
158
100%
35
22.2%
44
27.8%
26
16.5%
40
25.3%
10
6.3%
3
1.9%
Sexual violations against children
64
100%
32
50.0%
32
50.0%
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Assaults
10,293
100%
357
3.5%
922
9.0%
1,852
18.0%
4,716
45.9%
2,115
20.6%
322
3.1%
Other violent violations
3,845
100%
100
2.6%
348
9.1%
1,012
26.4%
1,446
37.7%
780
20.3%
153
4.0%
Criminal Code traffic violations causing death or bodily harm