Citation

Shields M, Tonmyr L, Hovdestad WE. Can. J. Psychiatry 2019; 64(9): 638-646.

Affiliation

Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Canadian Psychiatric Association, Publisher SAGE Publications)

DOI

10.1177/0706743718818417

PMID

31060370

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence of trends in child sexual abuse (CSA) in Canada.

METHODS: Using data from 15,801 males and 18,669 females who responded to the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS), we compared the prevalence of CSA by age cohorts. Age cohort patterns were examined for several sub-populations including males, females, Indigenous peoples, and people living in low-income households.

RESULTS: After an increase in the post-World War II period, there has been a decline in CSA in Canada since the early 1990s.

FINDINGS indicate a decline for both sexes; although, the evidence is more compelling for females. There is also evidence of a decline for Indigenous peoples, for those living in low-income households, and regardless of the relationship to the perpetrator (i.e., family member, a teacher/professor/tutor, a babysitter, a nanny, other non-family member but known to the respondent, or a stranger).

CONCLUSIONS: In Canada, evidence from 3 retrospective population surveys suggests a decline in CSA since the early 1990s. However, given the associated harm, continued progress to the eradication of CSA is essential.

Language: en

Keywords

change over time; child abuse; child maltreatment; childhood person year; childhood sexual abuse; cohort; epidemiology; prevalence; trends