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Sexual Assault in HRM and Nova Scotia: A Statistical and Social Reality
- Statistics Canada indicates that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually assaulted before the age of 16.
- 90% of sexual assault victims/survivors did report access Criminal Justice System (Stats Canada, 2006).
- Nova Scotia has the highest rate of sexual assault per capita in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2004).
- Halifax has the third highest rate of sexual assault in Canada (Maclean’s Magazine, 2009).
- In Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) there is on average a sexual assault reported everyday (HRP 2006).
- In 2006, 867 sexual offences were reported to police in Nova Scotia. These comprised 8.2 percent of all violent offences reported to police in the province.
- In close to 70 percent of cases reported to Halifax Regional Police in 2006, victims of sexual offences knew the accused. The accused was a stranger in 26 percent of such cases (Halifax Regional Police, 2006).
- The 68% of reported sexual assaults in the NS were committed by individuals known to the victim, while 32% were committed by strangers (Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Sexual Assault in Nova Scotia: A Statistical Profile, 2005).
- In 2006, the proportion of sexual assaults that result in the laying of a charge was lower in Nova Scotia than in all other provinces and territories. Conviction rates for sexual assault are typically lower than they are for other violent offences. In 2005/06, the conviction rate for sexual assaults in Nova Scotia was 38.6 percent, while for other violent offences it was 49.5 percent. Acquittal rates for sexual assaults in Nova Scotia have consistently been higher than acquittal rates for other violent offences. In 2005/06, the acquittal rate for sexual assaults was 14.9 percent. For other violent offences it was 5.8 percent (NSACSW, 2005).
- The General Social Survey by Juristat Canada notes that only 8% of sexual assaults are reported. In 2004, 886 sexual offences were reported to police in Nova Scotia (Sexual Assault in Nova Scotia: A Statistical Profile, 2005).
- According to this figure, the actual total of provincial sexual offences is 11075. This deserves attention.
- According to the Nova Scotia Sexual Offender Registry Program, in 2008 there are 490 registered sexual offenders in Nova Scotia. Forty percent of them are located in HRM. There are also 44 more sexual offenders currently incarcerated in Provincial jails or Federal penitentiaries.
- Currently Nova Scotia only has two Sexual Assault Centres and limited services and supports for victims and offenders.
- The Avalon SANE program attended to 101 immediate (within 72 hours) sexual assault in 2008, 99 in 2007, 101 in 2006, and 81 in 2005.
- In 2008/09 96% of the clients treated by SANE were female and 4% were male.
- 2007/08 almost 60% of victims treated by SANE were sexually assaults by intoxication (victims were drugged and sexually assaulted and/or victimized while under the influence of alcohol.
- In 2007/08 64% of victims seen by SANE were between the ages of 13-25. This is representative of national statistics that indicate that highest reported sexual offences are against this age group.
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) resources:
Campaign Tools
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