Domestic Abuse Statistics in the U.S.

Posted in Domestic Violence FAQ'S on September 19, 2016

Domestic violence remains a problem both in the United States as well as globally. It affects both women and men: about 85% of domestic violence victims are women and 15% are men.

Types of Domestic Abuse Charges:

Domestic violence comes in several forms. Here are the most common.

• Physical Abuse: Physical domestic abuse is any action that physically harms the victim – hitting, kicking, biting, pinching, choking, and throwing objects are all examples. Stalking may also fall into this category.
• Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is different from physical abuse and involves any act that forces an individual to perform a sex act against his or her will. Nonconsensual sex may occur between married partners.
• Emotional Abuse: The range of emotional abuse is broad. It may include feeling that a partner controls every aspect of your life, not being able to do right in your partner’s eyes, or being told that no one else would want you.
• Verbal Abuse: Verbal abuse is as any act that verbally puts down the victim. It may include putting down someone in front of friends and family, insulting someone in spite of requests to stop, name-calling, yelling, criticizing, or accusing.
• Economic Abuse: Economic, or financial, abuse occurs when an individual refuses to let a partner engage in financial decisions. It may include refusing to let someone have a job, deliberately sabotaging efforts to have a job (for example, by withholding childcare), controlling access to bank accounts, or taking money.

Domestic Violence Statistics

• Three women are murdered each day by a current or former male partner in the United States.
• Approximately 38 million women have experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetimes.
• Women with disabilities are 40% more likely to experience domestic violence.
• Nearly five million women experience physical violence by an intimate partner each year.
• One in four women will be a victim of severe physical violence in their lifetimes.
• Women lose nearly eight million work hours each year due to the consequences of abuse by male partners. This is the equivalent to 3,200 jobs.
• Every nine seconds, a woman is beaten.
• Partner violence is the leading cause of female homicide and injury in pregnant women.
• Financial abuse is involved in 98% of all domestic violence cases. The main reason victims don’t leave is because an abuser threatens to cut off the money supply.
• Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness – it places third.

Domestic Violence and Men

• Men who witness domestic violence as children are up to four times more likely to perpetuate violence against partners as adults.
• The average cost of an emergency room visit for violence against men is $348.
• One in seven men will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime.
• One in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner in their lifetime – to the point where they thought they would be harmed or killed.
• Approximately 5.1 million men in the United States have been stalked in their lifetimes.
• Domestic Violence and Economic Impacts
• In the United States, domestic violence costs in excess of $8.3 billion a year.
• Up to 60% of all domestic-violence victims lose their jobs because of reasons related to the abuse.
• Between 2003 and 2008, 142 women were murdered in their workplaces. This is 78% of all women killed in the workplace during the same time

For more statistics, visit the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

These numbers prove that domestic violence is more common than one might think. It’s often a silent problem, with victims afraid to speak out. It affects all genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and classes. Lawmakers and researchers should work together to pinpoint risk factors for domestic abuse to educate and prevent future occurrences.

If you were accused of domestic violence and need legal advice, contact our Riverside domestic violence lawyer, we offer free case evaluations.