Brescia University

Stats & Facts

  • Sexual assault is about power and control, not sexual desire.
  • 1 in 5 female undergraduates will be sexually assaulted in college. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics Research and Development Series)
  • Over half of sexual assaults of postsecondary students involve drugs or alcohol.
  • 1 in 3 Canadian women will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. (Source: Ontario.ca)
  • The rates of sexual violence are 42% higher for women aged 15-24, than for women who are aged 25-34. (Source: Statistics Canada)
  • Sexual violence doesn’t only affect women. 1 in 6 men will experience it in their lifetime, and most of these will occur in childhood. (Source: Ontario.ca)
  • 93% of police-reported sexual assault survivors are female. (Source: Statistics Canada)
  • Of every 1,000 sexual assaults, only 33 are ever reported to police. Of these 33 reported cases, 12 result in charges being laid, 6 are prosecuted and 3 lead to a conviction.
  • Even though sexual violence often goes unreported, there are 460,000 reports of sexual assault in Canada each year.
  • Sexual violence is an intersectional crime, crossing gender, race, ability.
  • Women from marginalized populations experience higher rates of sexual violence. (Source: Statistics Canada)
  • 57% of Indigenous women have been sexually assaulted. (Source: Ontario Native Women‘s Association)
  • 83% of women living with a developmental disability have been sexually assaulted. (Source: Johnson and Sigler, 2000)
  • 1 in 5 Trans people will experience sexual violence. (Source: Ontario.ca)
  • 28% of Canadians have experienced sexual harassment at work and 80% did not report it. (Source: Angus Reid, 2014)
  • 67% of Canadians know at least one woman who has experienced physical or sexual abuse. (Source: Canadian Women’s Foundation).
  • In 82% of sexual assaults, the assault is committed by someone known to the victim. This can include, for example, a family member, a friend or an acquaintance.
  • 1 in 3 Canadians know what consent is.

These statistics and facts tell us that sexual violence is prevalent in our society and it is taking place on our campuses and communities.

*Some information from:

  • Ontario Women’s Directorate. (2013, January). Developing a response to sexual violence: A resource guide for Ontario colleges and universities.
  • Ontario Women's Issues