Seniors as Victims of Crime in Canada

• Data from the 2004 GSS showed that one in every 10 seniors aged 65 years and over experienced at least one victimization in the 12 months preceding the survey. This figure was unchanged from what was found in 1999, and was three times lower than the level of 31% for Canadians under the age of 65.  
• Seniors are much less likely than younger age groups to experience a violent crime such as an assault, sexual assault or robbery. In the 2009 GSS, there were approximately 19 violent incidents for every 1,000 seniors, a rate that was half that recorded for those aged 55 to 64 (39 per 1,000), and almost fifteen times lower than the youngest group aged 15 to 24 (284 per 1,000). These findings show a relative increase in senior victimization from the 2004 GSS.
• Senior males are more likely to be victims of violent crime than senior females. In 2009, overall rates of police-reported violent crime were 1.5 times higher among senior men than senior women (211 versus 142 per 100,000). 
• Among the different types of police-reported violent crimes in 2007, common assault was the most prevalent offence committed against senior victims and non-senior victims. The rate of violent crime against older adults, however, remains 15 times lower than violence against the 15-24 age group (135 vs. 2,067 per 100,000). There were a total of 5,499 police reported violent incidents against seniors in 2007.
• In 2009, about 70% of solved victimizations against seniors were committed by a friend or acquaintance or a member of the victim's family (35% and 35% respectively). Senior women were more likely to be victimized by a family member than senior men (46% versus 26%).
• The most common form of family violence committed against seniors in 2009 was common assault (53%); this was followed by uttering threats (21%) and major assaults (12%).
• Senior victims of violent crime are no more likely to sustain injuries than younger victims. According to self-reported victimization data, over two-thirds (68%) of violent incidents involving seniors did not result in any physical injuries, a figure which was comparable to the proportion of incidents involving victims under 65 years of age.
• Seniors are more likely than their younger counterparts to report their victimizations to the police. For example, according to the GSS, about half (51%) of all violent incidents committed against seniors in 2004 were reported to the police, compared to 24% of violent incidents against the youngest age group (15 to 24). 
• According to the 2004 GSS, seniors' feelings of personal safety have improved over the last five years, with 92% of older persons reporting feeling satisfied with their overall level of safety from crime, compared to 89% reported in 1999. This increase has narrowed the gap between seniors and younger Canadians, resulting in fairly consistent levels of safety between seniors and non-seniors (92% compared with 94%).
• Levels of fear varied only slightly between seniors and non-seniors when engaging in certain evening activities. For example, 17% of seniors expressed concern about being home alone in the evening compared to 20% of non-seniors, and 21% of seniors felt somewhat or very worried walking alone in their neighbourhoods after dark compared to 15% of non-seniors.
• While there are no national statistics on the extent of telephone fraud experienced by Canadians, according to PhoneBusters, Canada's anti-fraud call centre, between 1996 and 2003, 84% of the total dollar loss through telemarketing prize and lottery occurrences was accounted for by victims over 60 years of age.
• In 2009, persons over 60 years of age accounted for almost one third (32.3%) of the total dollar loss, in cases where the age of the victim was identifiable. Seniors also suffered an average dollar loss per incident 1.4 times higher than the 20-59 age group ($4,475.35 versus $3,162.82).
• Some of the reasons cited for the increased risk of telemarketing fraud among seniors include: many seniors have substantial savings or assets, seniors are assumed by fraudulent telemarketers to be more trusting and polite towards strangers, and elderly persons are often home alone with little or no contact with family members.

Sources:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. 2009. Annual Statistical Report 2009. Retrieved from http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/statistics_statistics.html

Statistics Canada, Family Violence in Canada - A statistical profile 2009.

Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2004.

Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2009.

Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2004

Vaillancourt, R. 2010. Gender differences in police-reported violent crime in Canada, 2008. Catalogue no. 85F0033M, no. 24. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.