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Victim services in Canada: Canada, provincial and territorial fact sheets, 2011/2012

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By Leah Mulligan

Across Canada, there are a variety of government-funded agencies whose mandate is to provide assistance to both primary and secondary victims of crime. A primary victim of crime is a person who is the direct victim of a criminal offence, while a secondary victim is a person who has suffered harm or loss as a result of an incident perpetrated against another person, for example, the spouse of a homicide victim.

Information about the services offered by victim service providers, as well those who use these services, is collected biennially through the Victim Services Survey (VSS). 1  Information collected by the VSS describes the types of victim service providers in Canada, their services, and a profile of the victims who receive these services. Where a respondent has multiple locations providing victim services, these are counted as individual victim service providers. 2 

These fact sheets highlight key results from the 2011/2012 cycle of the VSS at the national, provincial and territorial levels. 3 , 4  For a more in-depth analysis of victim services in Canada, see the Juristat article “Victim services in Canada, 2011/2012” (Allen, 2014).

In each province and territory, different service delivery models are employed by victim service providers. Provincial and territorial legislation has been passed to assist victims of crime, and how these are applied varies by jurisdiction. There exists a wide variety of victim services offered to crime victims in order to address their specific needs (Department of Justice, 2013). Services that are offered to victims of crime include counselling services, crisis services, protection services, and compensation services, for example. As the structure of victim services differs across provinces and territories, comparisons between jurisdictions are not recommended.

These fact sheets include two reference periods. Information about service providers themselves, including the types of programs and the services offered, is based upon the fiscal year period from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012. 5  Information about the victims who use these services is based upon the snapshot date of May 24, 2012. Not all victim service providers were able to report complete data. Where this is the case, exclusions are noted.

Definitions

Types of victim service providers

In 2011/2012, the Victim Services Survey questionnaire was sent to victim service providers and head offices throughout Canada. The term “victim service provider” is used to refer to a wide variety of agencies. Based upon the following definitions, respondents were asked to indicate the type of service that best described their agency or organization.

Police-based provider: Victim services that are offered by a federal, provincial or municipal police service.

Court-based victim/witness assistance program: Programs specifically mandated to provide support services for individuals who have become involved in the court process as either victims or witnesses of crime. They generally provide information, assistance, and referrals with the goal of making the court process less intimidating. Specific types of services provided can include court orientation, preparation and accompaniment, updates on the progress of a case, coordination of meetings with the Crown, assessment of children’s ability to testify, etc. Programs can be geared toward specific clientele such as children or victims of family violence.

Community-based victim/witness assistance program: Community-based, non-profit organizations that participate in the implementation of a victim and/or witness assistance program. 6 

Sexual assault/rape crisis centre or hospital-based sexual assault treatment centre: Victim service whose mandate is to exclusively serve victims of recent or historical sexual assault or rape. Sexual assault/rape crisis centres will often have 24-hour crisis telephone lines and are community–based, non-profit providers. Hospital-based sexual assault centres consist of a team of nurses and physicians that are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the emergency department so that victims of sexual assault can receive specialized medical and emotional care.

System-based provider: A model of service delivery for victims of crime that is independent from police, courts and Crown attorneys and assist victims throughout their contact with the criminal justice system. System-based providers may also serve and assist clients who choose not to involve the criminal justice systems. These models of service are found in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Yukon where they are administered by the provincial or territorial government.

Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Service: Specific to Ontario, programs or victim service providers that work closely with the police and are community-based, non-government services. They provide on-scene and short-term assistance to victims of crime and other traumatic events and make referrals to community services for longer-term assistance.

Types of victim services offered

In 2011/2012, the VSS questionnaire asked victim service providers for information about a wide range of the types of victim services that they offer through direct service, contracted services, or referrals to other agencies. The following categories group services according to their function within victim services to address specific needs of victims. The services are listed here as they are described in the questionnaire.

Protection services: Protection services include: Safety planning - immediate; Safety planning -long term; Risk assessment (conduct and coordinate); Prevention training (for victims); and Child protection services.

Participation-related services: Participation services include: Court accompaniment; Assistance with victim impact statements; Victim or witness preparation.

Crisis-related services: Crisis-related services include: Crisis intervention / response; Critical stress debriefing; Emergency and disaster response; Crisis counselling; and Crisis / distress line.

Information services (court or justice-system related): Information services include: Information on criminal justice system structure and process; Court orientation / information; Case or trial updates; Victim notification (e.g. Hearings, offender relocation, and offender release); and Legal information.

Medical-related services: Medical-related services include: Hospital accompaniment; and First aid, health and medical services.

Shelter-related services: Shelter-related services include: Transportation; Basic needs provision (e.g. food, clothing); Shelter or housing - emergency; Housing assistance; Shelter or housing - longer term housing.

Compensation-related services 7 : Compensation-related services include: Claims assistance; Compensation - financial; and Compensation - other (e.g. pay fees for professional counselling).

Counselling services: Counselling services include: Counsel - individual; Psychological assistance; Self-help/peer support; Counsel - group; Counsel - couple or family; and Conflict resolution.

Restorative justice related services: Restorative justice services include: Restorative justice or mediation measures: orientation and information; and Restorative justice or mediation measures: accompaniment and support. These may involve direct provision of restorative justice programs as well as support.

Other services: Other services include: General information; Emotional support; Liaise with other agencies on behalf of client; Public education / prevention; Advocacy (e.g., criminal or civil justice); Training (of other agencies, justice personnel, etc.); Lobbying activities and Other services not otherwise specified.

Fact Sheet – Canada

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 760 victim service providers operating in Canada responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 36% were police-based, 24% were community-based, 14% were sexual assault centres, 10% were court-based, 7% were Ontario Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services, 7% were system-based, and 2% of service providers were categorized as other, unspecified types. There were ten provincial compensation programs, four of which were administered in conjunction with other types of services. 8 
  2. The victim service providers that provided information reported that they had assisted close to 460,000 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. The types of assistance most often offered directly by victim service providers in 2011/2012 included: protection (92%), support for participation in the justice system (90%), and information to assist victims in the justice system (89%). In addition, 64% offered medical-related services and over half provided shelter-related services (59%) or assistance with compensation (56%). Counselling services were available from 47% of providers.
  4. In 2011/2012, 4 in 10 victim service providers in Canada indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. About one-third reported that they had programs dedicated for adults (37%), seniors (31%) or children (32%). About one-quarter indicated that they had dedicated programming for female victims (24%) and 14% had dedicated programming for male victims. 9 
  5. Other dedicated programs frequently offered by victim service providers in Canada included programming for Aboriginal persons (28%), lesbian or bisexual women (21%), persons with physical disabilities (20%), persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders (19%), as well as dedicated programming for Francophones (18%) and Anglophones (18%).
  6. In 2011/2012, the majority (76%) of victim service providers in Canada served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000, and 57% served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. Almost one-quarter (24%) served reserves, with 5% of victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. Of the victim service providers in Canada for which information was available in 2011/2012, 9% of providers reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, 18% of victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 27% offered accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. The vast majority (96%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. In addition, almost three-quarters of victim services reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment (70%) or a visual impairment (73%).
  9. In 2011/2012, 72% of victim service providers across Canada reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French. Victim service providers reported that they were able to communicate verbally with clients in non-official languages, most commonly in: Spanish (25%), German (19%), Chinese languages (16%) and Punjabi (16%). Some victim service providers were also able to communicate verbally with clients in Cree (12%), other Aboriginal languages (11%) 10 , Ojibway (3%), and Inuktitut (1%). In addition, some victim service providers reported that they offered audio or visual materials in non-official languages, most commonly in Chinese languages (30%), Spanish (29%), and Punjabi (25%).

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. On May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), 696 victim service providers in Canada reported serving 10,664 victims
    (Table 1). 11  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 75% were female and 25% were male. 12 , 13 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 80% were victims of a violent crime. About one-quarter (26%) were victims of sexual assault, and 49% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (3%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (1%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, the majority (84%) were victims of a violent offence. Thirty percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Six in ten (61%) female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 14  Almost one-third of these (31%) were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 69% were victims of a violent offence; 15% were victims of sexual assault. One-third of males (33%) assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Over one-quarter (29%) of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 15  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (19% versus 9%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (23% versus 8%). 16 
Table 1
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Canada, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Newfoundland and Labrador

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 13 victim service providers operating in Newfoundland and Labrador responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Among the 13 victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador, 12 were system-based, and one was a sexual assault centre. 17 
  2. The victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador that provided information reported that they had assisted 5,969 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Newfoundland and Labrador for 2011/2012, all of the victim service providers reported offering the following direct services to clients: protection services, participation-related services, crisis-related services, information services (court or justice-system related), shelter-related services, and counselling services. In addition, one service provider reported offering direct medical-related services to clients.
  4. In 2011/2012, all victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. All reported that they had programs dedicated for adults, seniors, and children. One service provider said that they had special programming dedicated for female victims, and one service provider had dedicated programs for male victims. 18 
  5. Other dedicated services frequently offered by victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador included dedicated programming for Aboriginal persons offered by the majority (92%) of providers.
  6. In 2011/2012, all victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. Four of these agencies also served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000 (31%).
  7. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility and all reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment.
  8. In 2011/2012, all victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 13 victim service providers in Newfoundland and Labrador that provided information reported serving 202 people (Table 2). 19  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 69% were female and 31% were male.
  2. Of those victims who received services, 86% were victims of a violent crime. One-quarter (25%) were victims of sexual assault, and 58% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (2%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, the majority (91%) were victims of a violent offence. Thirty-one percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Over half (58%) of female clients were victims a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 20  One-quarter of these were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Three-quarters of male victims served on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence, and 11% were victims of sexual assault. One-third of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Four in ten male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 21  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (21% versus 7%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (35% versus 14%). 22 
Table 2
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Newfoundland and Labrador, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Prince Edward Island

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of three victim service providers operating in Prince Edward Island responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, two were system-based, and one was a sexual assault centre. Included in these service providers, there was one provincial victim service provider which offered a criminal injuries compensation program in conjunction with other types of services. 23 
  2. The victim service providers in Prince Edward Island that provided information reported that they had assisted 1,187 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Prince Edward Island for 2011/2012, all of the victim service providers reported offering direct services to clients for protection services and crisis-related services. Two victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: participation-related services, information services (court or justice-system related), medical-related services, shelter-related services and compensation-related services. In addition, one victim service provider reported offering direct counselling services to clients.
  4. In 2011/2012, all victim service providers in Prince Edward Island served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. All victim service providers also served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 populations. In addition, two served reserves.
  5. In 2011/2012, two victim service providers in Prince Edward Island reported offering orientation and information, as well as accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  6. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. In addition, two victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment, and two providers reported being able to provide services to people with a visual impairment.
  7. In 2011/2012, two victim service providers in Prince Edward Island reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the three victim service providers in Prince Edward Island that provided information reported serving 86 people (Table 3). 24  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 79% were female and 21% were male.
  2. Of those victims who received services, 69% were victims of a violent crime. About one-third were victims of sexual assault, and 35% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault.
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, three-quarters (75%) were victims of a violent offence. Thirty-eight percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Over half (53%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 25  Over half (53%) of these were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 44% were victims of a violent offence; 17% were victims of sexual assault. About 1 in 10 (11%) males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. One-third of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 26  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (56% versus 24%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (22% versus 12%). 27 
Table 3
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Prince Edward Island, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Nova Scotia

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 11 victim service providers operating in Nova Scotia responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 5 were system-based, 5 were police-based and one was a sexual assault centre. In addition to these service providers, there was one provincial criminal injuries compensation program. 28 
  2. The victim service providers in Nova Scotia that provided information reported that they had assisted 6,238 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Nova Scotia for 2011/2012, all of the victim service providers reported offering direct services to clients for participation-related services and information services (court or justice-system related). The majority (91%) reported offering direct services for protection to clients. In addition, approximately half of victim service providers reported offering the following direct services to clients: crisis-related services (55%), medical-related services (55%), shelter-related services (45%) and compensation services (45%).
  4. In 2011/2012, the majority (82%) of victim service providers in Nova Scotia indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. About one-third reported that they had programs dedicated for adults and to seniors (both at 36%). One provider reported offering dedicated programs to children. In addition, about one-quarter said they had dedicated programming for female victims and dedicated programming for male victims (both at 27%). 29 
  5. Other dedicated services frequently offered by victim service providers in Nova Scotia included dedicated programming for Aboriginal persons (82%), Francophones (82%), Anglophones (36%), and black populations (African, Jamaican, Haitian) (36%). In addition, dedicated programs were offered for other visible minority groups not otherwise specified, persons with physical disabilities, persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders, lesbian or bisexual women, and gay or bisexual men (each at 27%).
  6. In 2011/2012, nearly two-thirds (64%) of victim service providers in Nova Scotia served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. About half (55%) served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. In addition, one victim service provider served reserves.
  7. In 2011/2012, nearly half of victim service providers in Nova Scotia (45%) reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, nearly half (45%) reported offering orientation and information, and accompaniment and support (45%) for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. The majority of victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and services to people with a visual impairment (both at 91%).
  9. In 2011/2012, the majority (82%) of victim service providers in Nova Scotia reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 10 victim service providers in Nova Scotia that provided information reported serving 193 people (Table 4). 30  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 63% were female and 37% were male.
  2. Of those victims who received services, 92% were victims of a violent crime. Of the victims of violent crime, 14% were victims of sexual assault, and 72% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (3%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (2%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, the majority (96%) were victims of a violent offence. Sixteen percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Over two-thirds (70%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 31  The majority (98%) of these were victims of other violent offences, non-sexual in nature.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 85% were victims of a violent offence; 11% were victims of sexual assault. Close to half (48%) of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Close to one-third (32%) of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 32  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (8% versus 4%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (28% versus 6%). 33 
Table 4
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Nova Scotia, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – New Brunswick

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 19 victim service providers operating in New Brunswick responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 13 were system-based, 4 were police-based, one was a sexual assault centre and one was categorized as other, unspecified types. Included in these service providers, there was one provincial victim service provider which offered a criminal injuries compensation program in conjunction with other types of services. 34 
  2. The victim service providers in New Brunswick that provided information reported that they had assisted 4,335 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In New Brunswick for 2011/2012, all of the victim service providers reported offering direct services to clients for protection services and crisis-related services. The majority of victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: information services (court or justice-system related) (95%), shelter-related services (95%), participation-related services (89%), and counselling services (89%). In addition, 68% offered compensation services, and 32% offered medical-related services.
  4. In 2011/2012, the majority (79%) of victim service providers in New Brunswick indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. The majority of service providers reported that they had offered programs dedicated for adults (79%), seniors (74%), and children (74%). In addition, two victim service providers reported offering dedicated programs to females, and one provider reported offering dedicated programs to males. 35 
  5. Other dedicated services frequently offered by victim service providers in New Brunswick included programs for Aboriginal populations, Anglophones, Francophones, persons with physical disabilities and persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders (each at 74%).
  6. In 2011/2012, the majority (74%) of victim service providers in New Brunswick served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 populations. Just over half (58%) served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. In addition, 63% served reserves, and one victim service provider was located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, close to one in ten (11%) victim service providers in New Brunswick indicated involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, 5% of victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, close to one in ten (11%) reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. The vast majority (95%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. The majority (95%) of victim service providers reporting being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and close to one-quarter (26%) reporting being able to offer services to people with a visual impairment.
  9. In 2011/2012, the majority (84%) of victim service providers in New Brunswick reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 19 victim service providers in New Brunswick that provided information reported serving 1,547 people (Table 5). 36 , 37  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 69% were female and 31% were male. 38 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 64% were victims of a violent crime. Almost one-quarter (22%) were victims of sexual assault, and 41% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (1%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (1%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, 69% were victims of a violent offence. Twenty-eight percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Close to half (49%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 39  Thirty-seven percent of these were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, just over half (55%) were victims of a violent offence; 9% were victims of sexual assault. Fifteen percent of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Thirty-eight percent of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 40  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (43% versus 30%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (34% versus 8%). 41 
Table 5
Profile of clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, New Brunswick, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Quebec

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 118 victim service providers operating in Quebec responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 85 were community-based, 32 were sexual assault centres, and one was police based. In addition to these service providers, there was one provincial criminal injuries compensation program. 42 
  2. The victim service providers in Quebec that provided information reported that they had assisted 106,567 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Quebec for 2011/2012, the majority of victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: participation-related services (97%), information services (court or justice-system related) (97%), compensation services (97%), crisis-related services (93%), protection services (90%), and counselling services (75%). In addition, close to half (47%) reported offering medical-related services, and 16% reported offering shelter-related services.
  4. In 2011/2012, close to half (45%) of victim service providers in Quebec indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Victim service providers reported that they offered dedicated programs to adults (39%), seniors (35%), and children (35%). In addition, 31% reported offering dedicated programs to females, and 7% reported offering dedicated programs to males. 43 
  5. Other dedicated programming frequently offered by victim service providers in Quebec included programming for Francophones (31%), Aboriginal persons (28%), lesbian or bisexual women (25%), and gay and bisexual men (15%), and services dedicated for Anglophones (22%). In addition, 18% had programming for people with physical disabilities and 15% for persons with mental disabilities.
  6. In 2011/2012, the majority (93%) of victim service providers in Quebec served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. Over one-third (37%) served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. In addition, 14% served reserves, with 2 victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, 19% of victim service providers in Quebec reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 17% reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. The vast majority (93%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. The majority of victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment (78%) and services to people with a visual impairment (90%).
  9. In 2011/2012, half of victim service providers in Quebec reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 99 victim service providers in Quebec that provided information reported serving 1,415 people (Table 6). 44  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 67% were female and 33% were male. 45 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 77% were victims of a violent crime. One-third were victims of sexual assault, and 42% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (1%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (1%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, 87% were victims of a violent offence. Half of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. About 6 in 10 (59%) female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 46  More than half of these (60%) were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, about 6 in 10 (61%) were victims of a violent offence; 8% were victims of sexual assault. Sixteen percent of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Forty-three percent of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 47  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (29% versus 6%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (41% versus 12%). 48 
Table 6
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Quebec, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Ontario

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 193 victim service providers operating in Ontario responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 61 were court-based, 58 were sexual assault centres, 53 were Victim Crisis and Referral Service centres, 11 were community based, 9 were police based, and one was categorized as other, unspecified types. In addition to these service providers, there was one provincial criminal injuries compensation program. 49 
  2. The victim service providers in Ontario that provided information reported that they had assisted 135,303 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Ontario for 2011/2012, close to all (99%) victim service providers reported that they offered direct protection services to clients. The majority of service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: crisis-related services (96%), participation-related services (86%), and information services (court or justice-system related) (79%). Additional direct services offered by victim service providers included: medical-related (60%), shelter-related services (53%), counselling services (45%) and compensation services (37%).
  4. In 2011/2012, 35% of victim service providers in Ontario indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Victim service providers reported that they offered dedicated programs to adults (35%), seniors (27%), and children (28%). In addition, 26% reported offering dedicated programs to females, and 13% reported offering dedicated programs to males. 50 
  5. Other dedicated programming frequently offered by victim service providers in Ontario included programming for lesbian or bisexual women (26%), Aboriginal persons (24%), persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders (24%), persons with physical disabilities (23%), Francophones (23%), Anglophones (22%) and black populations (African, Jamaican, Haitian) (22%), and gay and bisexual men (15%).
  6. In 2011/2012, the majority (89%) of victim service providers in Ontario served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. Just over two-thirds (67%) served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. In addition, 18% served reserves, with 3% of victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, 5% of victim service providers in Ontario reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, 6% of victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 12% reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. Nearly all (99%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. The vast majority of victim service providers reported being able to offer services to people with a hearing impairment (93%) or offer services to people with a visual impairment (91%).
  9. In 2011/2012, the majority (90%) of victim service providers in Ontario reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 184 victim service providers in Ontario that provided information reported serving 2,755 people (Table 7). 51  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 82% were female and 18% were male. 52 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 90% were victims of a violent crime. Over one-quarter (29%) were victims of sexual assault, and 55% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (5%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (1%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, the majority (91%) were victims of a violent offence. Thirty-one percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Two-thirds (67 %) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 53  Of these, 30% were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, the majority (86%) were victims of a violent offence; about one-quarter (26%) were victims of sexual assault. Over half (57%) of male victims assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Close to two in ten (19%) male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 54  Male victims were about as likely as females to have been victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (4% versus 5%). Male victims were slightly more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (11% versus 8%). 55 
Table 7
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Ontario, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Manitoba

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 20 victim service providers operating in Manitoba responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 14 were system-based, 5 were police-based, and one was community-based. Included in these service providers, there was one provincial victim service provider which offered a criminal injuries compensation program in conjunction with other types of services. 56 
  2. The victim service providers in Manitoba that provided information reported that they had assisted 26,571 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Manitoba for 2011/2012, all victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: protection services, crisis-related services, and information services (court or justice-system). The majority of victim service providers reported that they offered direct services to client for: participation-related services (95%), compensation services (95%), and counselling services (90%). In addition, one-quarter of service providers reported offering medical-related services and shelter-related services.
  4. In 2011/2012, three-quarters (75%) of victim service providers in Manitoba indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Victim service providers reported that they offered dedicated programs to adults (70%), seniors (5%) or children (70%). 57 
  5. In 2011/2012, 15% of victim service providers in Manitoba reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, 70% of victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 90% reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  6. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. In addition, 8 in 10 victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and 85% reported being able to accommodate clients with a visual impairment.
  7. In 2011/2012, the majority (95%) of victim service providers in Manitoba reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 19 victim service providers in Manitoba that provided information reported serving 489 people (Table 8). 58  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 73% were female and 27% were male. 59 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 79% were victims of a violent crime. Nineteen percent were victims of sexual assault, and 49% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (8%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (3%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, close to 8 in 10 (79%) were victims of a violent offence. Twenty-one percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Close to half (48%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 60  Of these, 15% were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, close to 8 in 10 (79%) were victims of a violent offence; 14% were victims of sexual assault. About one-quarter (24%) of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Over one-third (38%) of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 61  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (10% versus 4%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (28% versus 8%). 62 
Table 8
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Manitoba, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Saskatchewan

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 103 victim service providers operating in Saskatchewan responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 74 were police-based, 17 were community-based, 6 were court-based, and 6 were sexual assault centres. Among these service providers was one provincial victim service provider which offered a criminal injuries compensation program in conjunction with other types of services. 63 
  2. The victim service providers in Saskatchewan that provided information reported that they had assisted 26,948 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Saskatchewan for 2011/2012, the majority of victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: protection services (84%), shelter-related services (83%), crisis-related services (81%), participation-related services (80%), medical-related services (79%), and information services (court or justice-system related) (77%). In addition, service providers reported that they offered direct services to clients for compensation (69%), and counselling (31%).
  4. In 2011/2012, just over one-quarter (27%) of victim service providers in Saskatchewan indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Victim service providers reported that they offered dedicated programs to adults (23%), seniors (19%), or children (21%). 64 
  5. Other dedicated programming frequently offered by victim service providers in Saskatchewan included programming for Aboriginal persons (23%), lesbian or bisexual women (11%), persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders (9%), gay or bisexual men (9%), and persons with physical disabilities (8%).
  6. In 2011/2012, nearly two-thirds (64%) of victim service providers in Saskatchewan served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. Just under half (47%) served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. In addition, 36% served reserves, with 5 victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, one in five (20%) victim service providers in Saskatchewan reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, 44% of victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 56% reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. In addition, 63% of the victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and 66% of providers reporting being able to accommodate people with a visual impairment.
  9. In 2011/2012, nearly half (48%) of victim service providers in Saskatchewan reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 91 victim service providers in Saskatchewan that provided information reported serving 696 people (Table 9). 65  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 71% were female and 29% were male. 66 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 73% were victims of a violent crime. Fifteen percent were victims of sexual assault, and 52% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (4%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (2%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, close to 8 in 10 (78%) were victims of a violent offence. Nineteen percent of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 67  Of these, 24% were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 65% were victims of a violent offence; 5% were victims of sexual assault. Close to one-third (32%) of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. About 2 in 10 (21%) male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 68  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (15% versus 7%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (18% versus 8%). 69 
Table 9
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Saskatchewan, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Alberta

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 122 victim service providers operating in Alberta responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 96 were police-based, 14 were community-based, 8 were court-based, three were sexual assault centres, and one was categorized as other, unspecified types. In addition to these service providers, there was one provincial criminal injuries compensation program. 70 
  2. The victim service providers in Alberta that provided information reported that they had assisted 85,471 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Alberta for 2011/2012, close to all victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: participation-related services (99%), information services (court or justice-system related) (98%), and crisis-related services (94%). The majority of victim service providers reported that they offered direct services to clients for protection services (79%) and medical-related services (75%). In addition, service providers reported offering shelter-related services (67%), compensations services (48%), and counselling services (18%).
  4. In 2011/2012, nearly one-third (30%) of victim service providers in Alberta indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Close to one-quarter of victim service providers reported that they had programs dedicated for adults (28%), seniors (25%), and children (27%). 71 
  5. Other dedicated programming frequently offered by victim service providers in Alberta included programming for Aboriginal persons (23%), gay or bisexual men (18%), persons with physical disabilities (17%), persons with developmental disabilities or mental disorders (17%), lesbian or bisexual women (16%), and South Asian populations (East Indian, Pakistani) (15%).
  6. In 2011/2012, two-thirds of victim service providers in Alberta served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. Nearly 6 in 10 (62%) served areas that include small towns, villages and other places with a population of less than 1,000. In addition, nearly 1 in 4 (23%) served reserves, with 11% of victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, 7% of victim service providers in Alberta reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, nearly one in ten (9%) victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and 25% offered related accompaniment and support.
  8. The majority (91%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. Just over half (53%) of victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and 58% of providers reported being able to accommodate people with a visual impairment.
  9. In 2011/2012, the majority (84%) of victim service providers in Alberta reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 110 victim service providers in Alberta that provided information reported serving 1,469 people (Table 10). 72  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 71% were female and 29% were male. 73 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 80% were victims of a violent crime. Over one-quarter (28%) were victims of sexual assault, and 46% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (4%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (3%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, over eight in ten (83%) were victims of a violent offence. Close to one-third (32%) of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Six in ten (61%) female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 74  Of these, one-third were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, close to three-quarters (73%) were victims of a violent offence; 1 in 5 was a victim of sexual assault. Four in ten males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. About 2 in 10 (21%) male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner.  75  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (11% versus 5%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (9% versus 5%). 76 
Table 10
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Alberta, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – British Columbia

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of 149 victim service providers operating in British Columbia responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 81 were police-based, 52 were community-based, 10 were categorized as other, unspecified types, 5 were sexual assault centres, and one was court-based. In addition to these service providers, there was one provincial criminal injuries compensation program. 77 
  2. The victim service providers in British Columbia that provided information reported that they had assisted 58,830 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In British Columbia for 2011/2012, the majority of victim service providers reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: protection services (97%), information services (court or justice-system) (93%), participation services (90%), crisis-related services (83%), medical services (80%), and shelter-related services (75%). In addition, 47% of service providers reported offering direct counselling services, and 44% reported offering direct compensation services.
  4. In 2011/2012, more than 4 in 10 (43%) victim service providers in British Columbia indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups. Victim service providers reported that they offered dedicated programs to adults (40%), seniors (38%), or children (33%). 78 
  5. Other dedicated services frequently offered by victim service providers in British Columbia included programming for Aboriginal persons (28%), lesbian or bisexual women (28%), and persons with physical disabilities (28%), or mental disabilities (24%), as well as gay and bisexual men (23%). In addition, providers reported offering dedicated services black populations (African, Jamaican, Haitian), South Asian populations (East Indian, Pakistani), and East Asian and Southeast Asian populations (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) (each at 27%).
  6. In 2011/2012, the majority (79%) of victim service providers in British Columbia served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. Half (50%) served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. In addition, nearly one-third (32%) served reserves, with 7% of victim service providers located on a reserve.
  7. In 2011/2012, about one in ten (11%) victim service providers in British Columbia reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters. In addition, nearly one in five (19%) victim service providers reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures, and one-third (33%) reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  8. The vast majority (98%) of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. Close to half (48%) of victim service providers reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and 63% of providers reported being able to accommodate people with a visual impairment.
  9. In 2011/2012, 68% of victim service providers in British Columbia reported that they were able to assist clients who were not able to speak English or French.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 139 victim service providers in British Columbia that provided information reported serving 1,765 people (Table 11). 79  Of the victims where the sex was recorded, 81% were female and 19% were male. 80 , 81 
  2. Of those victims who received services, 77% were victims of a violent crime. About one-quarter (24%) were victims of sexual assault, and 49% had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault. The remaining victims of violence who received services on May 24, 2012 were secondary victims of homicide (2%) and secondary victims of other offences causing death (2%).
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, about eight in ten (82%) were victims of a violent offence. Over one-quarter (26%) of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Six in ten (61%) female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 82  Of these, one-quarter were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 64% were victims of a violent offence; 18% were victims of sexual assault. Twenty-eight percent of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Over one-quarter (28%) of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 83  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (10% versus 6%). Male victims were also more likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner, or other family member (22% versus 6%). 84 
Table 11
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, British Columbia, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Yukon 85 

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of five victim service providers operating in Yukon responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, 4 were system-based, and one was court-based. 86 
  2. The victim service providers in Yukon that provided information reported that they had assisted 1,076 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. In Yukon for 2011/2012, all victim service providers reported that they offered direct services to clients for: participation-related services, information services (court or justice-related), shelter-related services, compensation services and counselling services. The majority of service providers in Yukon reported that they offered direct services for protection services and crisis-related services (both at 80%).
  4. In 2011/2012, of the victim service providers for which information was available, one victim service provider in Yukon indicated that they offered dedicated programs to specific victim groups, namely programs dedicated for adults, seniors and children. 87 
  5. In 2011/2012, 8 in 10 (80%) victim service providers in Yukon served areas that include small towns, villages and other areas with less than 1,000 population. In addition, 60% served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000.
  6. In 2011/2012, one victim service provider in Yukon reported involvement in the delivery or coordination of restorative justice processes for criminal justice matters.
  7. All of the victim service providers who responded to the survey were able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. One victim service provider reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and one provider reported being able to accommodate people with a visual impairment.

Profile of victims on May 24, 2012

  1. For May 24, 2012 (snapshot day), the 5 victim service providers in Yukon that provided information reported serving 36 people (Table 12). 88  On this day, 64% of victims assisted were female and 36% were male.
  2. Of those victims who received services, 94% were victims of a violent crime. Almost one-quarter (22%) were victims of sexual assault, and just over three-quarters (72%) had been the victim of another violent offence such as physical assault.
  3. Among female victims assisted on snapshot day, all were victims of a violent offence. Just over one-quarter (26%) of female clients who received services were victims of sexual assault.
  4. Over three-quarters (78%) of female clients were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member. 89  Of these, 28% were victims of sexual assault.
  5. Among male victims assisted on snapshot day, 85% were victims of a violent offence; 15% were victims of sexual assault. Sixty nine percent of males assisted on snapshot day were victims of a violent offence by a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member.
  6. Fifteen percent of male clients were victims of violent offences involving someone other than a family member or an intimate partner. 90  Male victims were more likely than females to be victims of non-violent offences (such as theft or destruction of property) (15% versus 0%). Male victims were less likely than females to be victims of non-sexual violent offences involving someone other than a spouse, ex-spouse, intimate partner or other family member (15% versus 17%). 91 
Table 12
Clients served by victim service providers, by sex of victim and type of crime, Yukon, May 24, 2012

Fact Sheet – Northwest Territories 92 

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of two victim service providers operating in the Northwest Territories responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Of these, one was court-based, and one was community-based. 93 
  2. The victim service providers in the Northwest Territories that provided information reported that they had assisted 49 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012. 94 
  3. In 2011/2012, both victim service providers in the Northwest Territories reported that they offered the following direct services to clients: protection services, participation services, crisis-related services, information services (court or justice-system related), and medical-related services. In addition, one victim service provider reported offering shelter-related services, and one reported offering counselling services.
  4. In 2011/2012, both victim service providers in the Northwest Territories served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000. Both victim service providers also served areas that include small towns, villages and other places with less than 1,000 populations.
  5. In 2011/2012, of the victim service providers for which information was available, one victim service provider in the Northwest Territories reported offering accompaniment and support for restorative justice or mediation measures.
  6. One victim service provider in the Northwest Territories reported being able to accommodate clients with reduced mobility. In addition, one victim service provider reported being able to provide services to people with a hearing impairment and one provider reporting being able to accommodate people with a visual impairment.

Fact Sheet – Nunavut 95 

Profile of victim service providers in 2011/2012

  1. A total of two victim service providers operating in Nunavut responded to the Victim Services Survey for the 2011/2012 year ending March 31, 2012. Both victim service providers were community-based. 96 
  2. The victim service providers in Nunavut that provided information reported that they had assisted 71 primary and secondary victims of crime in 2011/2012.
  3. Direct services to clients in Nunavut were offered by both victim service providers for protection services, crisis-related services and counselling services. One victim service provider reported offering direct services to clients for participation-related services and for information services (court or justice-related).
  4. In 2011/2012 both victim service providers in Nunavut served areas that have a minimum population of 1,000.
  5. In 2011/2012, one victim service provider in Nunavut reported offering orientation and information for restorative justice or mediation measures.

Survey Description

The Victim Services Survey is funded by the Department of Justice Canada’s Policy Centre for Victim Issues. It was developed in consultation with federal, provincial and territorial ministries responsible for justice and victim services, as well as a number of victim service providers from across Canada. The objectives of the survey are to provide a profile of victim service providers, information on the types of services offered and an overview of the clients who use them through a snapshot of clients on a given day. In addition, the survey collects standardized information from criminal injuries compensation and other financial benefit programs regarding applications for compensation and awards to victims of crime.

The VSS is a mail-out/mail-back paper questionnaire and is intended to be a census of victim service providers that fall within its scope. For administrative reasons, some lead agencies submitted one form representing data for all service locations under their administration. Of the 504 organizations eligible to respond, 409 sent forms containing data for 760 agencies and six criminal injuries compensation programs and other financial benefit programs.

The total number of victim service providers is estimated to be 923. This number is based on the number of locations represented by eligible respondents plus an estimate of the number of locations represented by non-respondents. Information from the previous cycle of the survey was used to estimate the number of victim service providers represented by 55 non-respondents who had provided information in previous cycles of the survey. Information on the remaining 40 non-respondents was unavailable. As a result, the estimated total number of victim service providers may be underestimated. Using this methodology, based on the 760 victim service provider locations and 6 dedicated criminal injuries compensation programs reporting to the survey, the estimated response rate for is 83%.

One hundred and three (103) respondents provided data for multiple locations representing 460 victim service providers. Because respondents provide only one response about the characteristics of services provided, these responses are applied to all locations. In certain cases, this may result in an overestimate of the number of victim service providers with certain categorical characteristics, such as special programs, or support in non-official languages. Information on expenditures, compensation and number of clients are assumed to be totals for all locations.

The majority of agencies deemed ineligible to respond had either closed or were otherwise classified as outside the scope of the survey. An examination of provincial and territorial response rates showed that Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba had a response rate of 100%. This was followed by Quebec (98%), New Brunswick (95%), Saskatchewan (95%), Alberta (90%), Ontario (88%), Nova Scotia (86%), Yukon (83%), British Columbia (80%), Nunavut (67%) and the Northwest Territories (38%).

A number of victim service providers in New Brunswick were unable to provide a count of the number of clients served on May 24, 2012 and instead provided a profile of their active caseload on that day. One victim service provider in British Columbia was unable to provide a count of the number of clients served on May 24, 2012 and instead provided a profile of clients served for the month of May, 2012.

Because of the heterogeneous nature of victim service providers, it is not possible to estimate or impute values for those service providers that did not respond to the survey, or those that provided partial responses. Therefore, the data reflect respondents and responses received. Because response rates vary from one survey cycle to another, comparisons to data for previous cycles is not recommended.

References

Allen, Mary. 2014. “Victim services in Canada, 2011/2012.”Juristat. Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 85-002X

Mazowita, Benjamin and Burczycka, Marta. 2014. “Shelters for abused women in Canada, 2012.”Juristat. Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 85-002X

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