The rate, which has generally been declining since the
mid-1970s, fell by seven per cent, to 1.73 victims per 100,000 population, the
agency said Wednesday.
Police reported 548 homicides in 2003, 34 fewer than in
2002.
Fifty fewer females were killed compared with 2002.
"At the same time, there were 16 more male
victims," the agency said. "Men accounted for 72 per cent of all
victims in 2003."
Homicide is classified in the Criminal Code of Canada as
first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter or infanticide.
"Deaths caused by criminal negligence, suicide, and accidental or
justifiable homicide are not included."
The national decline was driven by 33 fewer homicides in
In contrast,
"Police reported that one in every seven homicides
in 2003 involved organized crime or street gangs. There were 84 victims of
gang-related homicide, . . . 45 per cent of which occurred in
The agency also found that:
-Homicides committed by strangers reached a 25-year low.
-Most homicides were committed by someone the victim
knew.
-The spousal homicide rate declined by eight per cent,
with six fewer spouses killed.
-Sixty-four men killed their wives; 14 women killed their
husbands.
-Homicides committed by boyfriends, girlfriends and
current or estranged partners dropped to 11 from 17 in 2002.
-Fifty-seven youths aged 12 to 17 years were accused of
homicide in 2003, 15 more than in 2002 and eight more than the previous
10-year average.
-Thirty-three homicides were committed against children
under the age of 12 in 2003, the lowest number in more than 25 years. Fourteen
were under one year of age.
"Of the 27 solved homicides against children, 23 were killed by a parent: nine by a father, four by a step-father, 10 by a mother and one by a step-mother. In addition, two children were killed by their day-care provider and two by a stranger."
Notice that even with the habitual tendency of the Courts to convict mothers who murder their own children of crimes falling beneath this given definition of homicide, natural fathers accounted for only one third of all child murderers.
Couple this with similar reluctance of Police to lay charges against - and the Courts to convict - females of "domestic violence" crimes and the on-going state-sanctioned and sponsored effort to demonize all males and especially fathers can only reasonably be seen as a deliberate campaign which to panders to radical anti-family elements by undermining families by wrongfully promoting and fueling contrived animosity between the sexes.
Come December, take a pro-family stance by
refusing a government subsidized and encouraged "white ribbon"
and stating that you oppose all societal violence - particularly
crimes against children - committed by anyone irrespective of gender.
- G.
Copyright © 2004, CANOE, a division of Netgraphe Inc.
Gord's Comments