Men and boys in Manitoba experiencing highest violence rates in Canada: New report

According to new data from Stats Canada, Manitoba saw the most violence among the provinces against men and boys in 2021.

Data shows that the rate of violence reported to police against men and boys was 1,805 per 100,000 of the male population in Manitoba.

The next closest province was Saskatchewan at 1,666 per 100,000. The only places with higher rates of violence were the northern territories.

“Of note, the rates of police-reported violence against women and girls were also the highest in these regions,” the Statistics Canada report said.

Manitoba also had a higher rate than the national average, which was at 1,015.

A closer look at the Manitoba numbers shows the most impacted age group among men in Manitoba are those in the age ranges of 18 to 24 and 25 to 34.

The rate is at 3,332 from the 18 to 24 age group and 3,329 for 25 to 34. The numbers are also significantly higher in the rural north of Manitoba, with a rate of violence of 16,928 in the 25 to 34 age range.

Looking at the urban areas, these two age groups are also the highest, 2,727 and 2,407, respectively.

Statistics Canada said violence reported to police against men and boys has climbed by 12 per cent since 2016 throughout the country and the largest jump is in the age range of 45 and older, at 22 per cent.

Manitoba also has the highest rate of violence in that age group at 1,074 per 100,000.

In Canada, the data shows that around 79 per cent of violence against men and boys was caused by someone outside of their own family. However, boys aged 11 and younger were the most likely to be victims at the hands of family members at 59 per cent.

Once boys were over the age of 11, they were more likely to be hurt by an acquaintance or stranger.

Forty per cent of men and boys suffered physical injuries as a result of violence with the most common age group being 25 to 34.

The data also indicates that men and boys in Canada are three times more likely to be victims of homicide, compared to women and girls. It shows 75 per cent of all homicides were men and boys in 2021. This was 586 men and boys in 2021, which is a rate of 3.08 per 100,000.

For women and girls, the rate is 1.02 per 100,000.

Women and girls still had higher rates of violence in 2021 at 1,190 per 100,000 throughout Canada and 2,314 per 100,000 in Manitoba specifically.

The same age groups for men are the ones most impacted for women, with a rate of violence at 4,982 for women between the ages of 18 and 24 and 4,940 for 25 to 34.

The 25 to 34 age group is also the most affected in the rural northern area of Manitoba with a violence rate of 30,347 per 100,000.