Increase in Intimate Partner Violence in Canada: Rising Costs, Isolation, and "Dominant Masculinity" on Social Media — Social Strains Reflected in Canadian Statistics

The awareness of not condoning violence has spread, and information on where to seek help is easier to find than before. So why are the numbers for partner violence increasing?

A report by Canada's Global News on November 11, 2026, poses this difficult question.

What emerges is a complex picture that cannot be explained by a single cause. While previously hidden cases of abuse are coming to light, economic insecurity and housing issues may be narrowing the path to a safer life. Experts also express concern about narratives on social media that endorse control and aggression.

To understand the increase in numbers, it is necessary to separate "how much violence occurred" from "how much was reported to the police" and examine the societal changes surrounding both.

First, understanding the meaning of the "increased numbers"

The focus here is on IPV, or "intimate partner violence," which includes violence not only by current spouses but also by former spouses, partners, and ex-partners.

Global News reported that the rate of IPV cases known to the police increased by about 2% from the previous year in 2025 and by 15% compared to 2018. However, Statistics Canada's announcement on November 10, 2026, states a 1.9% increase and an 18% increase, respectively. This article prioritizes primary sources. The reason for the discrepancy in long-term increase rates is not clear from the available materials.

The term "victimization rate" here refers to the proportion of victims known to the police relative to the population, which differs from simple reporting numbers.

Moreover, cases not reported to the police are not included. The statistical increase involves not only the actual occurrence but also awareness of the abuse, ease of reporting, and methods of recording.

Statistics Canada also suggests that changes in the definition of crime recognition in 2018 may have influenced the subsequent increase. The fact that "numbers have risen" does not automatically reveal the causes.

Background ① The shift from "enduring" to "seeking help"

The first factor to consider behind the increase is the possibility that previously existing cases are now becoming visible.

Caitlin Mendes from Western University, who was interviewed in the original article, points out that IPV is chronically underreported. She suggests that movements like #MeToo and the expansion of community support may be leading to an increase in people coming forward.

If one cannot recognize their experience as violence, the option to seek help may not even occur to them.

Not being physically hit, having moments of kindness from the partner, or receiving financial support—these circumstances might lead some to think that their suffering does not qualify as "abuse."

Learning about psychological abuse or economic control can provide an opportunity to re-evaluate one's experiences. However, it is important to note that not all acts included in the broad definition of IPV are recorded in police statistics in the same way.

As awareness spreads and trust in support increases, the number of recognized cases may rise. In this sense, the statistical increase may include the "result of breaking the silence."

However, it is premature to conclude that this alone explains the increase. Mendes does not rule out the possibility that the actual increase in violence is reflected in the numbers.

Background ② Economic insecurity narrows choices both inside and outside the home

Alexa Yakubovich from Dalhousie University, featured in the original article, explains that the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil have compounded issues like housing shortages, food insecurity, income instability, and unemployment.

It is important not to oversimplify by saying "violence occurs because life is hard." Many people do not resort to violence despite economic hardships. The responsibility for violence lies with the perpetrator.

However, the suggestion that living insecurity can increase the risk of violence or make it harder to escape abuse is important.

There are two pathways to consider.

One is the overlap of economic insecurity with household tension. The other is the inability of victims to secure funds or housing to start a new life.

The latter is a separate issue from the initial cause of violence. However, if leaving the relationship becomes difficult, changing the ongoing situation of abuse becomes harder.

"Preventing occurrence" and "stopping ongoing abuse" must be addressed separately while tackling both.

Background ③ Housing shortages block exits from abusive relationships

Even with the will to leave, one cannot move without a place to live.

This issue is not easily resolved by individual courage or determination. New rent, initial costs, children's lives, commuting means—transitioning to a safe life involves real conditions.

In a survey conducted in Ontario by the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights in 2024, 79% of respondents cited high housing costs as a barrier to leaving an abusive home. While not representative of all victims nationwide, it highlights how housing costs can hinder escape.

This survey alone cannot conclude that the rise in IPV rates nationwide is due to housing issues. However, it is clear that housing policy plays a crucial role in ensuring safety after experiencing violence.

Even if temporary refuge is possible, if subsequent living conditions are unsustainable, one may end up moving from one unstable residence to another. Both emergency shelters and sustainable housing are needed.

Housing insecurity reflected in related SNS posts

Direct SNS reactions to this report are insufficiently collected. Here, past public posts dealing with the same background are introduced.

On Reddit's "r/canadahousing," a 2021 post describes a family's experience where a mother remained in an abusive relationship due to the inability to secure adequate housing.

A post on "r/TwoXChromosomes" from the same year expresses the desire to leave a relationship and the anxiety over rising rental costs compared to previous attempts to move out.

These are anonymous self-reports and have not been independently verified. They cannot be treated as representative of overall SNS opinions or the frequency of abuse.

Nonetheless, it can be inferred that the issues of housing and violence have been linked not only in research reports but also in the words of everyday people.

The noteworthy question these posts raise is whether advice to "just leave" unconsciously assumes the existence of a place to live after leaving.

Background ④ Narratives on SNS promoting "control as masculinity"

As a background that cannot be explained solely by economics, the original article highlights backlash against the expansion of women's rights.

Mendes points out that some influencers associate being aggressive and controlling others with "true masculinity."

This is not about men in general who use SNS, nor does the current statistics prove that people who watch specific influencers become violent.

The issue is that words portraying control as attractive or strong can infiltrate judgments about what is permissible in a relationship.

Perceiving differences of opinion as "losing to the other," viewing rejection as "an insult to oneself," and seeing recognizing the other's freedom as "weakness"—such views are incompatible with mutual respect.

Mendes also expresses concern about narratives suggesting women lie about abuse. Observing people who speak out about abuse being attacked can create anxiety for others considering seeking help.

While SNS can alleviate isolation by sharing experiences, it also circulates narratives that endorse control and discourage speaking about abuse. Both aspects need to be considered.

Background ⑤ Isolation and difficulty accessing support make abuse less visible

The original article also addresses the issue of access to support faced by rural and remote communities.

No nearby place to seek help. Limited means of transportation. Not wanting people in a close-knit community to know about seeking help. These conditions can become burdens when seeking assistance.

The report from the Housing Rights Centre also points out that transportation and anonymity are challenges in small communities. Even if there is available housing, it may be difficult to keep the refuge location secret if the landlord knows the abuser.

However, the question of why victimization rates are high in certain regions is not the same as why national rates have been rising annually. The background of regional differences cannot be directly translated into national increase causes.

Nonetheless, in places where support is hard to reach, opportunities to quickly identify abuse and connect to safety are limited. When considering measures, it is important to ensure that there is support that can actually be used in the region, not just nationwide guidance.

Deciding on a single "reason for the increase" can obscure necessary measures

The backgrounds discussed so far each have different roles.

The spread of awareness about abuse can increase the cases reported to the police. Economic insecurity is one of the risk factors cited by experts. Housing shortages narrow the options for leaving abuse. Narratives endorsing control lead to concerns about values that tolerate violence. Regional isolation narrows the paths to support.

Lumping all these as "causes of increased violence" makes it unclear what is confirmed and what is hypothetical.

From the current police statistics, it is not possible to determine what percentage each factor explains the increase. To separate changes in reporting and recording from actual changes in abuse, surveys of residents and information from support sites need to be considered together.

Moreover, a decrease in reports does not necessarily mean improvement. It is also necessary to consider the possibility that distrust or fear of seeking help is making abuse invisible again.

The goal should not be to make the statistical numbers appear smaller. It should be to reduce the abuse itself, ensure that occurred abuse is properly recognized, and connect to a safe life.

A perspective that Japan must also consider: not ending it as "a problem between two people"

The situation in Canada cannot be directly applied to Japan. Housing conditions, support systems, and methods of collecting statistics differ.

However, the questions to consider can be shared.

Is there an atmosphere of blaming those who report abuse? Are fears about living expenses and housing causing hesitation in seeking help or refuge? Are controlling behaviors overlooked as expressions of love or strength?

The responsibility for violence lies with the person who commits it. Clarifying that responsibility and creating societal conditions that prevent violence and do not prolong victimization can coexist.

What emerges from this report is not a simple narrative of "people have become more violent than before."

There are cases of abuse that have become speakable. On the other hand, there are people who cannot have options for living safely. Simultaneously capturing these two aspects is the starting point for understanding the background of the increase.

Sources and References

1. Global News: Referenced for expert comments on changes in reporting and awareness, economic insecurity, anti-feminist narratives, and regional isolation.
   https://globalnews.ca/news/12146489/intimate-partner-violence-up-15-over-8-years-in-canada-statcan-says/

2. Statistics Canada: Announcement of police-recorded domestic violence/IPV for 2025. 1.9% increase from the previous year, 18% increase from 2018, possibility of underreporting, and confirmation of changes in crime recognition definitions in 2018.
   https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/261110/dq261110a-eng.htmwww150.statcan.gc.ca

3. Canadian Centre for Housing Rights: 2024 report examining the relationship between violence victimization and housing insecurity in Ontario. Referenced for barriers of housing costs and issues of transportation and anonymity in small communities.
   https://housingrightscanada.com/reports/nowhere-to-go-gender-based-violence-and-housing-insecurity-in-ontario/housingrightscanada.com

4. Reddit "r/canadahousing": A 2021 public post linking housing security and abusive relationships. Summary of content confirmed through search. Introduced as an anonymous personal account, not a direct response to the current article.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/canadahousing/comments/q8uf27/www.reddit.com

5. Reddit "r/TwoXChromosomes": A 2021 public post expressing anxiety over rising rental costs when attempting to leave a relationship. Summary of content confirmed through search. The factuality of the experience has not been independently verified.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/p9quj1/