Perpetrator Histories and Trajectories

Preventing Domestic Violence Begins with Understanding The Backgrounds and Histories of Men Who are Perpetrating this Violence.

Domestic violence is costly and widespread – but it’s also preventable.

Research on domestic violence typically focuses on its after-effects, with an emphasis on how survivors can keep themselves safe. At Shift, we’re flipping the script – it’s time to focus on changing the people and systems that cause harm to begin with.

Using a robust 10-year dataset supplied by the Calgary Police Service, we’re spearheading first-of-its-kind research in Canada on the trajectories of domestic violence perpetrators. This work investigates the criminal histories of male perpetrators who were charged with a crime involving domestic violence in 2019, highlighting important opportunities to interrupt the patterns that lead to domestic violence.

We believe that perpetrators are made, not born – by watching for warning signs and providing the right support at the right time, we can disrupt and prevent the escalation of violence.

In The Media

Calgary Herald

CBC Radio

CTV News Calgary

Key Findings

Male perpetrators may be following specific developmental sequences that lead to a criminal domestic violence act in the future;
73% of men who faced a criminal charge involving domestic violence had already been involved in an incident with police beforehand;
64% of men who faced a criminal charge involving domestic violence had a clear increase in police interactions for domestic violence and criminal activity in the two years leading up to the charge;
Only 27% of perpetrators had no interaction with police at all prior to their criminal charge involving domestic violence.

The Highlights

The Edmonton Journal

The Conversation Canada

Why Does This Research Matter?

These findings tell us that domestic violence is not a random event – and that we need to pay attention to the red flags that emerge right before criminal acts of domestic violence happen.

When the majority charged with domestic violence are already on the police’s radar, it means we’ve missed an opportunity to intervene before violence escalates. There are distinct patterns of behaviour that we can recognize, track, and address to prevent violence.

Read the Research

What’s Next

So far, our research has leveraged a 10-year dataset from the Calgary Police Service that describes criminal charges and domestic conflict encounters that took place in Calgary, Alberta from 2010-2019.

As we continue this project, we are now working with an expanded dataset that includes an additional 5 years of data on men who were charged with a domestic violence related offence.

tuned for more publications and new insights, coming to you in Spring 2025.

Learn More About the Research

“If we truly want to end domestic violence, we must focus our efforts on preventing male perpetration.” – Lana Wells

Links to Postmedia articles provided with permission. Calgary Herald/Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

Shift works across Alberta on Treaty 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 territories. These are traditional travelling routes, gathering places, and meeting grounds for many Indigenous Peoples, including the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations); Tsuut’ina First Nation; Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations); Cree; Saulteaux; Nakota Sioux; Dene; and the Métis Nation in Alberta (across Districts 1-22).

We respect the Treaties that were made, acknowledge the ongoing harms of colonial violence, and dedicate ourselves to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

Initiated by The Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence

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