New research from Statistics Canada suggests one in 10 sexual assaults that are substantiated by police result in a criminal conviction.
The agency says the conviction rate for substantiated sex assaults between 2009 and 2014 was only 12 per cent.
The conviction rate for physical assaults over the same period was nearly twice as high at 23 per cent.
StatCan says the data reflects only the complaints that were validated by police and does not include complaints classified as "unfounded."
The agency describes sexual assault as one of the most under-reported crimes in the country and says that only a low number of those that are reported to police make it through the criminal justice system.
Of those that do get reported and are found to be substantiated, StatCan says only 43 per cent even result in a criminal charge.
