The following National Spousal Abuse FAQs are provided by the Legal Studies Program.

Funded by the Department of Justice Canada.

Warning: 

The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only. If you have
a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.



Does wife abuse happen to one particular kind of person more than another?

No. Potentially wife abuse can occur in any neighbourhood and at any level of society. Facts 
which are known about wife abuse are as follows:

wife abuse is as common in rural areas as well as cities
wife abuse is common in high income families as well as low income families
wife abuse spans all ages, races and nationalities
disabled women may also suffer wife abuse
wife abuse rarely happens as a one time occurrence
beatings are often severe so as to require medical treatment
wife abuse frequently occurs after hours between 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m. and on weekends
wife abuse always happens in private places
wife abuse often occurs during pregnancy and often starts during a first pregnancy.