Violent victimization rate for aboriginals more than double non-aboriginal rate: StatsCan

The overall violent victimization rate among aboriginals in 2014 was more than double the rate for non-aboriginals, according to a new StatsCan report. 

According to the report, released on Tuesday, the overall violent victimization rate – which includes sexual assault, robbery and physical assault – was 163 incidents per 1,000 people for aboriginals. By comparison, the rate among non-aboriginals was 74 incidents per 1,000 people.

The report, which contains data from the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization, also found that 28 per cent of aboriginal people aged 15 and older reported that they or their household had been a victim of at least one of eight different crimes in the last 12 months. By comparison, 18 per cent of non-aboriginal people reported the same.

However, the proportion of aboriginals who reported having been victimized decreased from 38 per cent in 2009 to 28 per cent in 2014 in the provinces, and from 36 per cent to 28 per cent in the territories, according to the report.

Here are other findings from the report:

• The rates for almost all types of violent crime were higher for aboriginals than for non-aboriginals. Specifically, the sexual assault rate among aboriginals was nearly three times that of non-aboriginals (58 incidents per 1,000 people compared to 20 per 1,000), and the aboriginal physical assault rate was nearly double that of non-aboriginal people (90 per 1,000 compared to 47 per 1,000).
• Aboriginals were more likely to experience spousal violence than non-aboriginals, particularly aboriginal women who were approximately three times more likely to report spousal violence than non-aboriginal women.
• Spousal violence involving aboriginal victims was more likely to come to the attention of police than spousal violence involving non-aboriginal victims (50 per cent compared to 28 per cent).
• Most non-spousal violent incidents were not reported to police for both aboriginal and non-victims (77 per cent and 66 per cent). As well, most aboriginal and non-aboriginal victims reported not seeking support or help from various support centres after a violent incident (72 per cent and 69 per cent).
• Aboriginal identity on its own was not associated with an increased risk of violence victimization when various risk factors were taken into account. The StatsCan analysis could not account for certain societal factors, such as the impact of residential schools.
• Increased victimization rates among aboriginals were related to other risk factors, including homelessness, drug use, mental health disorders, and being mistreated in childhood. A higher proportion of aboriginals presented with these risk factors compared with non-aboriginals.

Despite having a higher risk of victimization, 85 per cent of aboriginal people reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their personal safety – this was only slightly lower than non-aboriginals (88 per cent).