[Report] Family violence against seniors continues to increase after reaching highest recorded level in 2023

Excerpt from Statistics Canada's The Daily report on Oct 28, 2025:

There were 7,622 senior victims of police-reported family violence in 2024, a rate of 98 victims per 100,000 population aged 65 and older. Just over one-third (34%) of all senior victims of violence were victimized by a family member. Since 2018, the rate of family violence against seniors has increased by 49%. In 2024, nearly 6 in 10 victims (57%) were women, and the rate of family violence was slightly higher among women than men (104 victims per 100,000 population aged 65 and older for women versus 92 for men). There was a 4% increase overall in the rate from 2023—when family violence against seniors reached what was then its highest recorded rate. More specifically, the rate increased 4% for both senior women and senior men.

In 2024, senior victims of family violence were most often victimized by their child (36%). Around one in four was victimized by a spouse (28%) or another type of family member (25%), while 11% were victimized by a sibling. Among senior women victims, their child (34%) or spouse (32%) was most often the perpetrator. Among senior men victims, their child (39%) was even more common as the perpetrator, while just over one in five (21%) was victimized by a spouse.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of senior victims of family violence were victims of physical assault in 2024, while one-sixth (17%) were victims of threats. A slightly higher proportion of senior men victims experienced physical assault (74% of senior men victims versus 71% of senior women victims) and threats (19% versus 16%). A larger proportion of senior women were victims of sexual offences, criminal harassment, indecent or harassing communications, or other offences (13% of senior women victims versus 7% of senior men victims).

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE