Violence and safety

Gender-based violence in the territories

All genders experience violence. But gender-based violence varies depending on:

  • who committed the violence;
  • where the violence took place;
  • what type of violence it was; and
  • the severity of violence and its consequences.

People who identify with more than 1 group experience higher rates of violence. For example, an 2SLGBTQIA+ woman with a disability is more likely to be victimized.

A woman is more likely to be a victim of violence in a private home. A man is more likely to experience violence on the street or in a public space. Most victims of sexualized and physical violence do not report it to the police.

Over 50% of the residents in the territories have experienced violence since the age of 15. Some groups are more likely to experience violence, including:

  • Indigenous people;
  • lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, 2-spirit plus (2SLGBTQIA+) people;
  • youth aged 15 to 24; and
  • people with disabilities.

Who experiences violence?

  • Women are 3 times more likely than men to have been victims of sexual assault.
  • Men are more likely to experience physical violence.
  • Indigenous women are 3 times more likely than their non-Indigenous counterparts to experience violence.
  • Rates of violence against women with disabilities are 3 times higher. These women experience sexualized assault at a rate over 4 times higher than women who do not have a disability.

Yukon has the highest number of people who have been victims of sexualized and physical violence in the territories.

Violence against 2SLGBTQIA+ people

2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians experience high rates of sexualized and physical violence. These are higher than people who do not identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. People who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are:

  • twice as likely to experience sexualized assault;
  • 1½ times more likely to experience a physical assault;
  • more likely to be injured because of an assault; and
  • less likely to report a violent assault to the police than heterosexual people.

Transgender Canadians experience higher rates of sexualized assault than cisgender Canadians. (A person whose gender identity matches the sex assigned to them at birth is cisgender.)

Violence against Indigenous women

Indigenous women and girls in Canada face greater risks of violence and homicide. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released their final report on June 3, 2019, detailing 231 calls for justice. These calls for justice are:

  • targeted at Canadians, governments, institutions, social service providers, and industries; and
  • aimed at improving the quality of life of Indigenous women, girls, and 2-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual people.

In December 2020, the Yukon Advisory Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2-spirit plus People (MMIWG2S+) released a strategy in response to the final report of the National Inquiry into MMIWG. The declaration was signed by all orders of government and the RCMP in the Yukon

Gender, Indigenous identity and the justice system

Indigenous Canadians make up a large number of federal inmates. In recent years, there's been an increase in the number of Indigenous women admitted to custody. In the Yukon, men make up the vast majority of inmates and over ½ are Indigenous.

There are many social and historical factors that contribute to this disparity including:

  • the history of colonialism and displacement of Indigenous peoples in Canada;
  • the residential school system and abuse; and
  • systemic discrimination based on race and culture.

These factors continue to impact Indigenous people in Canada in ways such as:

  • levels of education;
  • income and unemployment;
  • substance use;
  • violence; and
  • experiences of trauma.

What are the indicators?

The following indicators tell us about gender, violence and safety in the Yukon.

Criminal code offence charges in the Yukon's adult criminal courts

35%

  • In 2019/20 the category with the highest proportion of women charged (35%) was the Crimes against property (theft, breaking and entering, fraud, etc.).
  • The category with the lowest proportion of women charged (21%) was the 'other Criminal Code’ category (weapons, prostitution, disturbing the peace, etc.).

Source:
Statistics Canada.  Table  35-10-0027-01   Adult criminal courts, number of cases and charges by type of decision

Notes on data:

  • The Criminal Code traffic offences category includes, but is not limited to:
    • impaired driving;
    • failure or refusal to provide sample (breath or blood);
    • failure to stop at the scene of an accident; and
    • dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
  • 'Other' Criminal Code offences involve the remaining Criminal Code offences that are not classified as violent or property (excluding traffic offences). These include but are not limited to:
    • mischief;
    • bail violations;
    • disturbing the peace;
    • arson; and
    • offensive weapons. 
  • The Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS) is an annual survey that collects statistical information on court cases involving Criminal Code and other federal statute offences by youth and adults. 

Criminal code offence charges in the Yukon's youth criminal courts by gender

In 2019-20 the Crimes against people category had the highest number of female youth charges (5).

Source:
Statistics Canada. Table 35-10-0038-01 Youth courts, number of cases and charges by type of decision

Notes on data:

  • The Criminal Code traffic offences category includes, but is not limited to:
    • impaired driving;
    • failure or refusal to provide sample (breath or blood);
    • failure to stop at the scene of an accident; and
    • dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
  • 'Other' Criminal Code offences involve the remaining Criminal Code offences that are not classified as violent or property (excluding traffic offences). These include but are not limited to:
    • mischief;
    • bail violations;
    • disturbing the peace;
    • arson; and
    • offensive weapons. 
  • The Integrated Criminal Court Survey (ICCS) is an annual survey that collects statistical information on court cases involving Criminal Code and other federal statute offences by youth and adults. 

Sexual assault incidents cleared by charge in the Yukon

75.5

Average number of sexual assault incidents reported to police in the Yukon annually between 2001 and 2021.

  • 75.5 level 1 sexual assault incidents.
  • 1.6 level 2 sexual assault incidents.
  • 0.8 level 3 (aggravated) sexual assault incidents.

Source:
Statistics Canada. Table 35-10-0185-01 Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations, police services in the territories.

Notes on data:

  • Statistics Canada defines sexual assault as follows:
    • Sexual assault level 1: An assault committed in circumstances of a sexual nature such that the sexual integrity of the victim is violated. Level 1 involves minor physical injuries or no injuries to the victim. 
    • Sexual assault level 2: Sexual assault with a weapon, threats, or causing bodily harm. 
    • Aggravated sexual assault (level 3): Sexual assault that results in wounding, maiming, disfiguring or endangering the life of the victim.
  • Total sexual assault incidents combine levels 1 to 3. Levels are based on the most serious violation per incident. Total incidents or "actuals" are the result of all reported incidents minus the incidents determined to be unfounded. For example, if 10 sexual assaults are reported and 1 is determined to be unfounded (meaning it was investigated and determined that it did not happen) then the total number of incidents would be 9. For an incident to be cleared by charge, at least 1 accused must have been identified and a charge laid, or recommended to be laid, against this individual in connection with the incident.

Court decisions in sexual assault offences in the Yukon

13%

Between 2001–2002 and 2020–2021, the percentage of 'guilty' decisions in Yukon sexual assault offences ranged from a low of 13% in 2020–2021 to a high of 48% in 2005–2006.

Source:
Statistics Canada. Table 35-10-0027-01 Adult criminal courts, number of cases and charges by type of decision

Notes on data:

  • Other decisions include:
    • ‘found not criminally responsible’ and
    • ‘waived out of province or territory.’
  • This category also includes:
    • any order where a conviction was not recorded;
    • the court's acceptance of a special plea;
    • cases which raise Charter arguments; and
    • cases where the accused was found unfit to stand trial.

Reported intimate partner violence in the Yukon and Canada

2,066

  • The Yukon's 2020 rate (2,066) of intimate-partner violence against women per 100,000 population was higher than the rate of intimate-partner violence against men.
  • This disparity is seen across Canada. 

Source:
Statistics Canada Table 35-10-0202-01 Intimate partner and non-intimate partner victims of police-reported violent crime and traffic offences causing bodily harm or death, by victim age and gender, provinces, territories and census metropolitan areas.

Notes on data:

  • Rates are calculated on the basis of 100,000 population aged 15 and over.
  • Populations based upon July 1st estimates from Statistics Canada, Demography Division.
  • Intimate partner violence refers to violence committed by legally married, separated or divorced persons, common-law partners (current and former), dating partners (current and former), and other intimate partners.
  • Victims refer to those aged 15 to 89. Victims aged 90 years and older are excluded from analyses due to possible instances of miscoding of unknown age within this age category.
  • Excludes victims where the sex or the age was unknown or where the accused-victim relationship was unknown.

Female homicide victims in the Yukon

86%

Between 2014 and 2021

  • there were 7 female victims of homicide; and
  • 6 of these victims were Indigenous women. 

Source:
Statistics Canada. Table 35-10-0156-01  Number, percentage and rate of homicide victims, by gender and Indigenous identity.

Notes on data:

  • Homicide includes Criminal Code offences of
    • murder;
    • manslaughter; and
    • infanticide.
  • The total count of a given year's number of homicides could include incidents that occurred in previous years. Homicides are allotted to the year in which they become known to or are deemed homicides by police, according to the report date submitted to Statistics Canada.
  • Indigenous identity is reported by the police and is determined through information found with the victim, such as status cards, or through information supplied by the victims' families, community members, or other sources. For example, band records, or forensic evidence such as genetic testing.
  • The year 2014 marked the first cycle of collection of the Homicide Survey data for which complete information regarding Indigenous identity was reported for victims of homicide.

Rate of female homicide by Indigenous identity

20.48

Yukon Indigenous females rate of homicide (20.48) was the highest of all the provinces and territories.

Source: 
Statistics Canada. Table 35-10-0156-01 Number, percentage and rate of homicide victims, by gender and Indigenous identity.

Notes on data:

  • Homicide includes Criminal Code offences of:
    • murder;
    • manslaughter; and
    • infanticide.
  • The total count of a given year's number of homicides could include incidents that occurred in previous years. Homicides are allotted to the year in which they become known to or are deemed homicides by police, according to the report date submitted to Statistics Canada.
  • Indigenous identity is reported by the police and is determined through information found with the victim, such as status cards, or through information supplied by the victims' families, community members, or other sources. For example, band records, or forensic evidence such as genetic testing.

 

Students in the Yukon who feel taken advantage of

25%

Among grades 9-10 rural students, 25% of girls and 29.3% of boys agree or strongly agree that "most people around here would try to take advantage of you if they got the chance."

Source:
Lambe, Laura., Mciver, Theresa., kim, Samuel., Mayne, Kyla., Craig, Wendy., King, Matthew. 2019. Health and health-related behaviours among young people in Yukon. Whitehorse, YT: Government of Yukon. (HBSC)

Notes on data:

  • As these data represent the responses of surveyed students only and as the number of respondents, particularly in rural Yukon, was quite low, these data may not represent the full cohort of Yukon youth in those grades.
  • Data from the survey may point to a characteristic or challenge among a specific group of respondents, but may not be generalizable to the entire youth population of the relevant age range, gender or region.
  • The HBSC survey:
    • is conducted in the classroom, during school hours;
    • began in 1982;
    • is a cross-national survey conducted in Canada and a number of other countries every 4 years in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO); and
    • collects information on the attitudes and health behaviours of young people and how these may differ based on contextual factors.
  • The Yukon survey is conducted by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics on behalf of SPEG/Queen’s University and the departments of Health and Social Services and Education.
  • The Government of Yukon has been included in the national HBSC survey since 2010.

Students' bullying experiences in the Yukon – jokes, comments

26.7%

Among grades 9-10 rural students, 25.5% of girls and 26.7% of boys reported having been bullied at school more than once or twice in the past couple of months by:

  • being called mean names;
  • being made fun of; or
  • teased in a hurtful way.

Source:
Lambe, Laura., Mciver, Theresa., kim, Samuel., Mayne, Kyla., Craig, Wendy., King, Matthew. 2019. Health and health-related behaviours among young people in Yukon. Whitehorse, YT: Government of Yukon. (HBSC)

Notes on data:

  • As these data represent the responses of surveyed students only and as the number of respondents, particularly in rural Yukon, was quite low, these data may not represent the full cohort of Yukon youth in those grades.
  • Data from the survey may point to a characteristic or challenge among a specific group of respondents, but may not be generalizable to the entire youth population of the relevant age range, gender or region. The HBSC survey:
    • is conducted in the classroom, during school hours;
    • began in 1982;
    • is a cross-national survey conducted in Canada and a number of other countries every 4 years in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO); and
    • collects information on the attitudes and health behaviours of young people and how these may differ based on contextual factors.
  • The Yukon survey is conducted by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics on behalf of SPEG/Queen’s University and the Departments of Health and Social Services and Education. The Government of Yukon has been included in the national HBSC survey since 2010.

Students' bullying experiences in the Yukon – physical bullying

11.3%

Among grades 6 to 8 urban students, 8.6% of girls and 11.3% of boys reported having been bullied at school more than once or twice in the past couple of months by being hit, kicked, pushed, shoved around, or locked indoors.

Source:
Lambe, Laura., Mciver, Theresa., kim, Samuel., Mayne, Kyla., Craig, Wendy., King, Matthew. 2019. Health and health-related behaviours among young people in Yukon. Whitehorse, YT: Government of Yukon. (HBSC)

Notes on data:

  • As these data represent the responses of surveyed students only and as the number of respondents, particularly in rural Yukon, was quite low, these data may not represent the full cohort of Yukon youth in those grades.
  • Data from the survey may point to a characteristic or challenge among a specific group of respondents, but may not be generalizable to the entire youth population of the relevant age range, gender or region.
  • The HBSC survey:
    • is conducted in the classroom, during school hours;
    • began in 1982;
    • is a cross-national survey conducted in Canada and a number of other countries every 4 years in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO); and
    • collects information on the attitudes and health behaviours of young people and how these may differ based on contextual factors.
  • The Yukon survey is conducted by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics on behalf of SPEG/Queen’s University and the departments of Health and Social Services and Education.
  • The Government of Yukon has been included in the national HBSC survey since 2010.