US National Statistic on Domestic Violence 2020

For source and updates see National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS

 Did you know?  (Download the NCADV Fact Sheet)

  •  In the United States, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually.1 
  • If each of these adults experienced only once incidence of violence, an adult in the US would experience violence every three seconds. However, because domestic violence is a pattern, many experience repeated acts of abuse annually, so an incident of abuse happens far more frequently than every three seconds. 
  • 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime with ‘IPV-related impact’ such as being concerned for their safety, PTSD symptoms, injury, or needing victim services.2
    • Approximately 1 in 5 female victims and 1 in 20 male victims need medical care.3 
    • Female victims sustain injuries 3x more often than male victims.4 
    • 1 in 5 female victims and 1 in 9 male victims need legal services.5 
    • 23.2% of women and 13.9% of men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime.6 
  • From 2016 through 2018 the number of intimate partner violence victimizations in the United States increased 42%.7 
  • On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines nationwide receive over 19,000 calls.8 
  • An abuser’s access to a firearm increases the risk of intimate partner femicide by 400%.9 
  • In 2018, partner violence accounted for 20% of all violent crime.10 
  • Intimate partner violence is most common against women between the ages of 18-24.11 
  • 19% of intimate partner violence involves a weapon.12 

Sexual assault 

  • 1 in 5 women and 1 in 40 men in the United States are victims of rape or attempted rape during their lifetime.13 
  • Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 12 men have experienced contact sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.14 
  • From 2016 through 2018 the number of rape/sexual assault victimizations in the United States increased 146%.15 

Stalking 

  • Stalking victimization involves a pattern of harassing or threatening tactics used by a perpetrator that causes the victim to fear for their safety or the safety of others. 
  • 19.1 million women and 6.4 million men in the United States have been stalked.16 
  • 66.2% of female stalking victims reported stalking by a current or former intimate partner.17 
  • 1 in 10 women and 1 in 50 men have experienced stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.18 

Homicide 

  • 1 in 2 female murder victims and 1 in 13 male murder victims are killed by intimate partners.19 
  • A study of intimate partner homicides found 20% of victims were family members or friends of the abused partner, neighbors, persons who intervened, law enforcement responders, or bystanders.20 
  • 65% of all murder-suicides are perpetrated by intimate partners.21 
  • 96% of murder-suicide victims are female.22 
  • Most intimate partner homicides are committed with firearms.23 
  • Abusers’ access to firearms increases the risk of intimate partner femicide at least five-fold. When firearms have been used in the most severe abuse incident, the risk increases 41-fold.24 
  • While the overall rate of intimate partner has decreased, intimate partner femicide has increased in recent years, driven by an increase in intimate partner femicide committed with a firearm.25 

Physical & mental effects 

  • Victims of intimate partner violence are at increased risk of contracting HIV or other STI’s due to forced intercourse and/or prolonged exposure to stress. 26 
  • Intimate partner victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.27 
  • Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.28 

Economic 

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