Treat Your Wives Well, Be Kind to Them, For They Are Your Partners!

*An excerpt from Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) last sermon.

When we hear the term ‘Intimate Partner Violence‘ (IPV), our minds might immediately turn to violence against women. This assumption is essentially correct, as historically and traditionally, women have been disproportionately affected by IPV, making up nearly 80% of victims.

However, another troubling aspect of this issue often goes unaddressed: IPV against men.

Despite the lack of updated statistics on male victims, an August 2020 study by Canadian academics revealed the following:

·       1 in 5 cases of IPV reported to the police in Canada involves a male victim.

·       According to a 2014 General Social Survey, 4% of Canadian men (approximately 418,000) reported experiencing IPV in the previous five years (Statistics Canada, 2016).

·       From 2009 to 2018, IPV rates declined more for women (13%) than for men (7%).

·       Cases of police-reported IPV with male survivors increased from 18,850 in 2013 to 20,600 in 2018, representing a 9% rise.

·       Men are less likely to report their victimisation to the police, and when they do, they risk being perceived as perpetrators.

·       Resources available for male survivors are scarce, and many men report feeling further traumatised when seeking help.

·       There are currently no dedicated IPV shelters for men in Canada.

Now, let’s look at the most recent statistics released by the Toronto Police regarding IPV, marking the first update in some time:

·       IPV incidents (non-gender specific) have remained relatively stable over the last decade.

·       In 2014, there were 18,584 reported incidents, while in 2024, this number decreased slightly to 18,122.

·       On average, between 17,200 and 19,300 incidents are reported each year.

·       This data suggests that existing corrective measures are not yielding significant results.

·       The recent Toronto Police report highlights specific neighbourhoods and “hotspots” with the highest incidents of IPV, which could be a crucial step in better understanding the issue and its socio-environmental and ethno-cultural roots.

·       According to 2024 data, the neighbourhoods with the highest IPV reports include Weston (1,316 per 100,000 residents), Beechborough-Greenbrook (1,296), Weston-Pelham Park (1,188), New Toronto (1,115), and Black Creek (1,107).

·       In a positive development, the Toronto Police have committed to releasing this data annually.

The spokesperson for the Toronto Police emphasised that while having access to these numbers is beneficial, they do not necessarily reflect progress. “Success means fewer IPV incidents, higher reporting due to trust, and consistent referrals to life-saving support,” they stated, adding that accountability, outcome measurement, and the resolve to act on ineffective strategies are equally important. 

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