"Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace. Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The long-standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against women is a matter of concern for all States and should be addressed." - paragraph 112 of the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women, 1995.

Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006 was jointly released by Federal/Provincial/Territorial (FPT) Status of Women Ministers and by Statistics Canada in October 2006.

This analytical report updates data from the 2002 report, Assessing Violence Against Women: A Statistical Profile.  It also includes new data on the violence faced by Aboriginal women, the situation of women living in the territories, the use of services by victims, and criminal harassment, or stalking. 

The indicators on violence in the report are organized into five major themes:

• prevalence and severity of violence against women,
• impact of violence against women,
• risk factors associated with violence against women,
• institutional and community-based responses, and
• victims' use of services.

Measuring Violence Against Women summarizes what is currently known about violence against women in Canada, and highlights areas where further research and data collection is needed. 

The report is available on-line at Statistics Canada.

Copies of Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006 can also be ordered by contacting:

Women’s Issues
Intergovernmental Initiatives
Alberta Children and Youth Services
12th floor, Sterling Place
9940 - 106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2N2
Phone: (780) 427-4304, toll-free by first dialing 310-0000
Fax: (780) 422-6642
e-mail: wendy.joy@gov.ab.ca