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Changing help-seeking rates for intimate partner violence in Canada
Janice Du Mont1, Tonia Forte, Marsha M Cohen
1Centre for Research in Women's Health, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, M5G 1N8, Canada. janice.dumont@sw.ca
Women & Health
|July 29, 2005
Summary
Help-seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV) increased significantly in Canada between 1993 and 1999. However, rates of service utilization remained low, underscoring the need for continued government support for IPV initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) has severe physical and psychological consequences.
- Canadian government initiatives since the early 1990s aimed to address IPV through public awareness and service enhancements.
- Limited research exists on changes in help-seeking rates among women experiencing IPV over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in help-seeking behaviors among women experiencing IPV in Canada.
- To compare rates of abuse disclosure and service utilization between 1993 and 1999.
- To identify barriers to service access for women experiencing IPV.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of data from two large Canadian population-based, cross-sectional telephone surveys: the 1993 Violence Against Women Survey (1993-VAWS) and the 1999 General Social Survey (1999-GSS).
- Analysis focused on women reporting physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous partner.
- Examined differences in disclosure rates, help-seeking by service type, and barriers to service use between the two survey periods.
Main Results:
- Women in the 1999-GSS were significantly more likely to disclose abuse to family, friends, healthcare providers, and religious figures compared to the 1993-VAWS cohort.
- Higher rates of service utilization were observed in 1999 for shelters, crisis centers, counselors, women's centers, and community centers.
- Fewer women in 1999 reported not knowing about services or that services were unavailable, indicating improved awareness and accessibility.
Conclusions:
- A demonstrable increase in help-seeking among abused women occurred between 1993 and 1999.
- Despite increases, overall service utilization rates for intimate partner violence remained low by 1999.
- Continued government commitment and funding for IPV initiatives are crucial for improving support for survivors.