National Statistics about Domestic Violence

General

According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following are rates of reported intimate partner violence¹...

• Approximately 1 in 4 women (23.2%) and 1 in 7 men (13.9%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• Approximately 1 in 10 women (9.7%) and 1 in 43 men (2.3%) have experienced stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• Approximately 1 in 6 women (16.4%) and 1 in 14 men (7%) have experienced contact sexual violence* by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• Approximately 1 in 2 women (47.1%) and 1 in 2 men (47.3%) have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• Approximately 1 in 3 women (39.7%) and 1 in 2 men (41.1%) have experienced coercive control by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

*Contact sexual violence is defined as rape, being made to penetrate someone else, sexual coercion, and/or unwanted sexual contact perpetrated by an intimate partner.

Rates of reported contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking in their lifetime by race/ethnicity²...

• 45.1% of non-Hispanic Black women / 40.1% of non-Hispanic Black men
• 37.3% of non-Hispanic White women / 30.3% of non-Hispanic White men
• 34.4% of Hispanic women / 30% of Hispanic men
• 18.3% of Asian or Pacific Islander women / 13.7% of Asian or Pacific Islander men

Rates of reported rape, physical violence, and/or stalking in their lifetime by sexual orientation³...

• 43.8% of lesbian women / 26% of gay men
• 61.1% of bisexual women / 37.3% of bisexual men
• 35% of heterosexual women / 29% of heterosexual men

Multiple study findings of lifetime experiences with intimate partner violence range from 31.1% to 50% of transgender persons.⁴

Intimate Partner Homicide and Guns

• Nearly half of all female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.⁵
• The most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence is when she or he leaves the relationship.⁶
• Women in an abusive relationship are 5x more likely to be killed if her abuser has access to a firearm.⁷
• Domestic violence assaults involving firearms are 12x more likely to result in death than those involving other weapons or bodily force.⁸

Children & Teens

• 17.9% of children of all ages have been exposed to physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime, or about 13.6 million children.⁹
• Approximately 3,500 to 4,000 children witness fatal family violence each year in the U.S.¹⁰
• Among high school students who dated, 21% of females and 10% of males experienced physical and/or sexual dating violence.¹¹

Housing

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence¹²...

• Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.
• Over 90% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives, and 63% have been victims of intimate partner violence as adults.
• Over 80% of survivors entering shelters identified "finding housing I can afford" as a need second only to "safety for myself."

NOTES

1. Smith, S.G., et al. 2017. "The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 – 2012 State Report." National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. P. 117-118. Downloaded December 27, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/NISVS-StateReportBook.pdf

2. Id. P. 120 and 123.

3. Walters, M.L., et al. 2013. "The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation." National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. P. 18-19. Downloaded December 27, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_sofindings.pdf.

4. Brown, T. and Herman, J. 2015. “Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Abuse Among LGBT People.” The Williams Institute. Downloaded December 27, 2017 from http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Intimate-Partner-Violence-and-Sexual-Abuse-among-LGBT-People.pdf.

5. Petrosky, E., et al. "Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violnece - United States 2003-2014." MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017; 66:741-746. Downloaded on December 27, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6628a1.htm?s_cid=mm6628a1_w

6. Campbell, JC, et al. 2003. “Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results from a Multistate Case Control Study.” American Journal of Public Health. 93(7): 1092.

7. Ibid.

8. Saltzman, L., et al. 1992. “Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and Intimate Assaults,” 267 JAMA, 3043-3047

9. Finkelhor, D., et al. 2014. “Trends in Children’s Exposure to Violence, 2003 - 2011.” JAMA Pediactrics. 168(6):540-546. Available at http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/poi130100.pdf.

10. National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. "Defending Childhood: Final Report & Recommendations." December 2012; p. 109

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016. “Understanding Teen Dating Violence.” Downloaded December 27, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/teen-dating-violence-factsheet-a.pdf

12. National Network to End Domestic Violence. “Domestic Violence, Housing, and Homelessness.” Downloaded December 27, 2017 from https://nnedv.org/mdocs-posts/domestic-violence-housing-and-homelessness/