VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Violence is a tragic and often intentional act that can lead to serious injury or death.

There were 33 homicides per year, on average, in BC between 2013 and 2017.1
OVERVIEW
Violence can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Violence includes:
- Abuse or neglect of children and youth
- Youth violence and bullying
- Cyberbullying 4
- Gender-based violence and sexual assault
- Intimate partner violence
- Workplace violence
- Violence in sports
- Elder abuse

There were 1,164 assaults per year, on average, resulting in hospitalization in BC from 2012/13 to 2016/17.1
RESEARCH
BCIRPU is working in a number of areas to understand and prevent violence-related injuries and deaths.

24% of assault-related hospitalizations were among 0 to 24-year-olds.2
PREVENTION
Violence can be prevented. The World Health Organization lists four steps to stop violence:5
- Define the problem
- Identify causes and risk factors
- Design and test interventions
- Increase effective interventions
Watch for warning signs, know how to respond to someone disclosing abuse, find the tools to make a safety plan, and know how to get help.
- HelpGuide, Child Abuse and Neglect
- Canadian Red Cross, How to Respond to a Disclosure of Child Abuse or Neglect
- Gender-Based Violence, Sexual Assault, and Domestic Violence, Government of BC
- Canadian Centre for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
- Government of BC – Keeping Kids Safe
- VictimLinkBC hotline
- US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention: Help Young People Grow Up Violence-Free
Violence prevention resources specific for Indigenous peoples:
- KUU-US Crisis Services: The KUU-US Crisis line is available 24/7 to provide support to Indigenous people in BC.
- Vancouver Coastal Health First Nations ReAct (Elder Abuse Response)
- Delegated Aboriginal Agencies in BC

An estimated 230,000 women in Canada suffer severe physical violence at the hands of a partner every year.3
RESOURCES
- Injury Insight: Overweight/Obesity and the Link to Bullying (April 2013)
News

The price we pay for gun violence in British Columbia
Firearm-related incidents in BC result in large health care and criminal justice system costs to society, according to a new publication by BCIRPU researchers.

New website outlines financial and human cost of injury in BC
costofinjury.ca uses interactive charts and graphs to illustrate the burden of injury in BC.

Project to use virtual reality to help police recognize brain injuries
The training tool will enable law enforcement to make more informed decisions about what to look for and when to seek medical support in a timely manner.

Cost of Firearms Report- Coming Soon
British Columbia experiences high rates of gang violence, much of which is firearm-related.
Research into Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 policies receives funding
This project will use several sources of data to better understand how many children and youth suffered a violence-related injury during the pandemic.

Concussion Awareness Training Tool for Women’s Support Workers
The course includes a 45-minute video-based, interactive e-learning course consisting of a series of educational modules and resources, including the voice of a survivor of violence.
COVID-19 and Injury: Violence Prevention
Experts are concerned that violence and related injuries are likely to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Data Source: Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), Ministry of Health, BCIRPU Injury Data Online Tool, 2013-2017.
2. Data Source: Discharge Abstract Database (DAD), Ministry of Health, BCIRPU Injury Data Online Tool, 2012/13-2016/17.
3. Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury Though Research. Available from: https://soarproject.ca/
4. Public Safety Canada. Info Sheet: Cyberbullying. Available from: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-r038/index-en.aspx
5. World Health Organization. “Violence and Injury Prevention.” Available from: https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/en/