Are Women Safer From Domestic Violence in BC?

Police data suggests domestic violence in BC has declined. On paper, that looks like progress. Yet many women still don’t feel safer and wonder if the system is catching less crime or simply hearing less about it.

In 2024, Statistics Canada recorded 128,175 police-reported victims of intimate partner violence across Canada. Women and girls made up about 78 percent. BC’s rate was lower than the national rate and fell slightly from 2023. These are police files, not the full story of what people experience.

What Statistics Reveal About Domestic Violence in BC

BC’s 2024 police-reported rate sits below the national average. The trend since 2018 shows small fluctuations but no major decline in violence overall. Police data captures only what reaches law enforcement, leaving out many incidents that never result in charges or calls for help.

These numbers are useful for tracking change, but they don’t capture what victims endure privately. A decline in reports can reflect silence rather than safety.

When Fewer Reports Don’t Mean Greater Safety

A lower figure does not always signal less harm. Many survivors choose not to report because of fear, stigma, or financial pressure. Some distrust the system after previous experiences.

Others feel too exhausted to tell their story again. They weigh the cost of leaving against the uncertainty of being believed. This silence can make violence appear to fade when it has only shifted out of view.

Hidden Forms of Abuse Behind Closed Doors

Violence today often hides behind ordinary technology. Control may come through location tracking, financial restrictions, or constant digital contact. These patterns are harder to measure but no less real.

Parliament has considered Bill C-332, which would make coercive control a Criminal Code offence. The bill advanced to the Senate in 2024 but is not yet law. Recognising control as a form of violence could change how Canada tracks and prevents these cases.

Uneven Safety Across British Columbia

The risk of domestic violence in BC depends heavily on geography. Rural and northern communities report higher rates, often because isolation and limited services leave few safe exits. Shelters may be hours away, and police response times longer.

Vancouver’s urban rate is lower, yet anonymity can hide abuse in plain sight. Apartments, workplaces, and online spaces can all become settings of control. Where someone lives often determines the kind of help they can reach.

The Gap Between Awareness and Action

Awareness campaigns are widespread, but access to help remains uneven. Shelters fill quickly, protection orders can take time, and housing shortages force some victims to return home.

The issue is no longer awareness but capacity. Governments, police, and communities know the statistics. The challenge is turning those numbers into consistent, reachable safety.

What Must Change to Make BC Safer

Prevention and early support are key. Affordable housing, legal advocacy, and stronger responses to coercive control can reduce violence before it escalates. The province has begun increasing support funding, but gaps remain across regions.

Lasting change requires making every report count, even the ones never filed. Lower numbers will only mean progress when fewer people are living in fear.

Where to Get Help For Domestic Violence in BC

If you need support, call VictimLink BC at 1-800-563-0808. The line is available 24 hours a day, in multiple languages, and connects callers to shelters and local services.

You can also reach WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, BC Housing transition services, or Vancouver Police Victim Services. Help exists throughout the province — reaching out is a step toward safety.