Prevalence of child maltreatment types in Canada

Detailed prevalence data on child maltreatment types in Canada do not exist. The aims of the current study were to: 1) estimate the prevalence of child maltreatment types in Canada (i.e., emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to intimate partner violence, any child maltreatment, and counts), and 2) determine if self-reports of child maltreatment experiences varied by gender identity, sexual identity, and age cohorts.

Data were collected from all ten Canadian provinces for the 2024 Childhood Adversity and Resilience-Youth and Early Adulthood Research Study (CARe-YEARS; n = 3767; ages 18 to 49 years). Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and Poisson regression were used for analyses.

Any child maltreatment was reported by 60.9% of the sample. Compared to men, women and gender diverse individuals had increased odds of reporting having experienced many child maltreatment types. Compared to individuals with a heterosexual identity, all other sexual identities had an increased likelihood of reporting experiencing most child maltreatment types. When comparing age cohorts, 18- to 29-year-olds compared to older age cohorts were more likely to report experiencing emotional abuse and more child maltreatment types in unadjusted models. No other age cohort differences were noted.

The current findings are the most comprehensive and up-to-date epidemiological prevalence data on child maltreatment in Canada, with a focus on gender identity, sexual identity, and age cohorts. Findings indicate that child maltreatment is highly prevalent in Canada and requires public health prevention approaches with a focus on diverse gender and sexual identities.