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Rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and family violence in Saskatchewan surpassed both provincial and national averages in 2023, according to newly released data from the Saskatchewan RCMP.
The RCMP reported 813 incidents of IPV and 890 cases of family violence per 100,000 people last year. In comparison, the provincial averages were 710 for IPV and 741 for family violence per 100,000. These figures are part of a nationwide increase in such violence, as highlighted in a report by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics released on October 24, 2024.
The RCMP's IPV data includes physical or sexual assault, harassment, uttering threats, and other forms of violence by a current or former spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, common-law partner, or intimate partner. Family violence is a broader category, encompassing violence by a spouse, parent, step-parent, sibling, child, or other family members.
Intimate partner and family violence are complex issues, said Saskatchewan RCMP Domestic Violence Coordinator Sgt. Kim Stewart. “It can happen to anyone, and we see it across all socioeconomic circumstances."
RCMP Domestic Violence Coordinators, such as Stewart, specialize in investigating intimate partner and family violence, conducting offender risk assessments, and creating victim safety plans. Coordinators support officers responding to calls for service and oversee requests made under Clare’s Law, which allows police to disclose information about a person’s domestic violence history to someone who may be at risk.
In 2023, over half of the violent crime in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction was attributed to Intimate Partner and Family Violence. 29 per cent of intimate partner and family violence incidents were reported in boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, 20 per cent involved extended family members, and 15 per cent were between spouses. The other 34 per cent of violent crime is attributed to community violence, and the other 5 per cent is unknown causes.
Reports of intimate partner and family violence spiked in the summer of 2020, and monthly averages have remained higher than pre-pandemic levels. In 2020, the average number of victims per month was 600; from 2021 onward, the average has been 700 victims per month.
The RCMP’s North District accounted for 59 per cent of total victims, the Central District for 22 per cent, and the South District for 18 per cent.
Between 2019 and 2023, the North District saw a 14 per cent increase in incidents, the Central District experienced a 19 per cent increase, and the South District reported a 7 per cent increase.
From Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024, the Saskatchewan RCMP reported a 2 per cent decrease in incidents compared to the same period in the previous year.
Sgt. Stewart also oversees applications to the RCMP Family Violence Initiative Fund (FVIF), which supports community projects aimed at addressing intimate partner and family violence.
“Saskatchewan RCMP, together with our community partners, has an important role to play in educating the public about intimate partner violence and supporting victim safety,” said Stewart.
If you or someone you know is experiencing violence from a partner, parent, family member, or anyone else, report it to your nearest police service or RCMP detachment, or call 310-RCMP.