Some 27 per cent of Canadians indicated they were a victim of crime last year, however only a fraction actually reported it to police, reveals a new survey from Statistics Canada.
The study released this week is a survey of Canadians that focuses on their feelings of victimization. In contrast to most crime studies this one does not rely on police reports and data, but information from survey participants.
The survey found 31 per cent of Canadians who indicated they were a victim of crime had actually reported that crime to police.
The numbers vary depending on the type of crime with only six per cent of Canadians reporting having been the victim of a violent crime.
The survey also touched on personal safety, with 93 per cent of respondents saying they were satisfied with their level of safety.
Most Canadians also felt safe walking in their neighbourhoods at night, taking public transportation or being home alone.
Local MP Brent Rathgeber said that while the government has been criticized for its tough on crime focus despite falling police reported rates, this survey shows there is another side to the issue.
Between these statistics and people who have simply approached him, he feels the problem is bigger than police numbers would suggest, he said.
“You just have the sense that people are concerned about these issues far in excess of what the reported crime statistics show.”
Rathgeber noted he had a bike stolen, which he did not report to police because he didn’t think it would do any good.
“It seemed like there was going to be no advantage to doing it.”
While the theft didn’t affect his feeling of personal safety, he still believes crime should be taken seriously.
“I don’t feel personally unsafe because someone went into my garage and stole my mountain bike, but I am a victim of crime,” he said. “That doesn’t diminish the seriousness of the crime.”
Rathgeber said the current system doesn’t give victims the motivation to come forward and report some crimes, which the government legislation is trying to change.
“It is trying to instil some sense of confidence in the justice system so that people will be more likely, if they have been victims, to report those crimes.”
If the system had appropriate sentences and more emphasis on the victims, more people would come forward and participate, he added.
“I do believe that we will encourage more people to report crime and to participate in the system as witnesses and complainants.”
