More than 200 people are reported as victims of family violence every day in Canada, according to a new report by the chief public health officer.

Family violence was the focus of the “State of Public Health in Canada report,” which was published Friday.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor told CTV News the statistics were “staggering.” In 2014 alone, the number of women or girls who have reported sexual, physical or verbal abuse would have filled Edmonton’s 60,000-seat football stadium.

“It looks like that is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said, adding that cases of family violence are under-reported often because victims are too afraid or embarrassed to speak out.

According to the report, data showed that 230 Canadians are reported as victims of family violence each day. It also found that family violence was more likely to affect Canadians “who are more vulnerable, marginalized or facing inequities.”

Report highlights:

  • 57,835 girls and women were victims of family violence in 2014, accounting for seven out of every 10 reported cases
  • Every four days, a woman is killed by a family member in Canada
  • From 2004 to 2014, half of child victims of family-related homicide were under the age of 4
  • Nine million Canadians have reported experiencing abuse before age 15
  • 760,000 Canadians reported experiencing unhealthy spousal conflict, abuse or violence in the last five years
  • In 2014, Indigenous people were murdered at a rate six times higher than non-Indigenous Canadians

“The health impacts of family violence extend far beyond physical injuries and include poor mental health, psychological and emotional distress, suicide and increased risk of chronic diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes,” Taylor wrote.

He said that family violence is “not just” about physical abuse. “It comes in many forms, including sexual, emotional and financial abuse, as well as neglect,” Taylor wrote.

While the overall number of reported abuse cases in Canada is slowly going down, women’s support groups say family violence is often ignored because it goes on behind closed doors.

“Violence against women and children is a public health issue... of global importance," said YWCA Toronto CEO Heather McGregor.

YWCA Canada estimates that for every 1,000 cases of sexual assault against women only 33 are reported. Of those cases, they say only six are prosecuted and only three earn convictions.

With files from CTV’s Peter Akman