By Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Last week, the Saskatchewan RCMP shared the statistics showing that family and intimate partner violence rates were persistently high again in 2025, with officers responding to more than 9,800 victims.
In 2025, officers were called to 5,191 family violence victims and 4,708 intimate partner violence victims. Although these numbers are high, they are still down from 2024, when the RCMP responded to 5,269 family violence victims and 4,808 intimate partner violence victims. The RCMP uses the term family violence as an umbrella term that refers to any violence committed by spouses, ex-spouses, parents, children, siblings or other family members; and intimate partner violence is violence committed by current or former spouses or romantic partners.
These are the reported cases involving individuals where the RCMP, victim services, or community members have become involved due to incidents of family violence or intimate partner violence (IPV). It often takes people experiencing IPV a significant amount of time to report the issue. In fact, 34 percent of individuals who have experienced IPV do not talk to anyone about the violence they faced, let alone report it to the police. (https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-violence/intimate-partner-violence.html)
Violence is more likely to be reported to the police in cases where the abuse occurs frequently, such as monthly or more often. According to self-reported data, the most common reasons victims and survivors give for not reporting their experiences of intimate partner violence to law enforcement include the belief that abuse is a private matter and the perception that the incident is not serious enough to warrant police involvement. Other reasons may include fear of stigma and shame, concerns about court system intervention, or a lack of trust in the criminal justice system.
When looking deeper into Saskatchewan’s RCMP data, over 50 percent of these violence reports were from the RCMP’s North District, approximately 30 percent were from the Central District, and the remainder from the South District.
“These numbers show that both family and intimate partner violence continue to have a significant impact in our communities,” Cpl. Rob King, Saskatchewan RCMP’s interpersonal violence co-ordinator, said in a release. “Even with a slight decline, the levels remain high, and we remain committed to working with community agencies to ensure people affected by these types of violence stay safe and connected to the support they need.” (https://rcmp.ca/en/saskatchewan/news/2026/03/4351268)
The RCMP Family Violence Initiative Fund is an annual program that supports community partners in preventing and responding to relationship and family violence. Non-profit organizations and government agencies can apply for project-based funding of up to $25,000. Projects should focus on awareness, prevention, or support for victims, while fostering connections with local RCMP.
Applications for the 2026-2027 funding cycle are due by March 27, 2026, with the next cycle typically opening in mid-winter.
The Family Violence Initiative (FVI) is a long-term commitment by the Government of Canada to address family and intimate partner violence and support victims. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the fund allocated $315,772.70 to support 17 initiatives, including public awareness workshops, resources for victims, and training for sexual assault investigators.
For an application for the RCMP Family Violence Initiative Fund, contact the local RCMP detachment or send an email to: rcmp.fvif-ifmvf.grc@rcmp-grc.gc.ca for an application package. Once completed, the application must be signed by an RCMP representative, such as a divisional Crime Prevention Coordinator, as listed in the application package.
Learn more about the signs and forms of violence in relationships, and how to help prevent and respond to it from the resources available at https://rcmp.ca/en/relationship-violence