Summary
In September 2000, the Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for Justice directed the establishment of an Ad Hoc FPT working group to review the implementation and status of the mandatory or pro-charging and prosecutorial policies related to spousal abuse as well as several proposed legislative reforms. This report provides an overview of the nature and incidence of spousal abuse in Canada today. Although both women and men experience spousal abuse, the nature and severity of the spousal violence suffered by women is much worse, with the result that spousal abuse remains predominantly an issue of male violence against women.