Family violence rates declining but N.B. still above average

A new report shows Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have some of the lowest rates of family violence in the country.

While New Brunswick's numbers declined over last year's, the province is still above the national average.

"What jumps out immediately, of course, is that Moncton and Saint John are both in the top 10 communities in terms of the rates of violence reported per 100,000," says Beth Lyons with the YWCA in Moncton.

The report released by Statistics Canada shows that rates of police reported family violence are going down in general.

But Lyons points out there are important factors to be considered.

"I do think it's important to remember that it's police reported and that there's certainly a lot that is still hidden from us and isn't showing up in those numbers, especially ... around marginalized populations who don't necessarily feel like the police are an institution that they can access," she says.

Family violence includes threats, harassment, physical and sexual violence within a family unit.    

Andrea Taylor-Butts of Statistics Canada is one of the authors of the report. 

"Ontario, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Nova Scotia recorded the lowest rates of family violence and Saskatchewan and Manitoba had the highest," she says.

The report found the majority of victims are female. More than one third of the violence was committed by a current spouse.