TW: Domestic Violence, Rape, Assault, Depression, and Suicide
Every minute, about 20-24 people are physically abused while in a relationship. To put that in a larger perspective, over 10 million people experience domestic violence each year. This includes 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men who will be victims of some type of violence. Domestic violence is responsible for 15% of all violent crimes.
What Constitutes Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence can be any form of intimate relationship abuse. Physical abuse ranges from moderate to severe. Moderate abuse includes actions such as hitting and pushing, and this is not always considered to be domestic violence. Severe behavior takes on many forms such as burning, harsh beating, strangulation, and more. Psychological aggression or abuse is considered domestic violence, as well. Rape and stalking are other common forms of domestic abuse.
Stalking
- Outside of domestic violence, stalking is a huge problem across the United States. 24.4 million people are stalked every year. Statistically, this means that about 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men are stalked at some point in their life.
- It is estimated that 60-66% of females and 40-44% of males are victims of stalking by someone with who they are currently or previously involved intimately.
- Both genders experience stalking most commonly via technology (i.e. phone calls, text messages, and voicemail).
Rape/Sexual Assault
- In general, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men will become victims of rape.
- In domestic violence, about 45% of female victims and 29% of male victims reported they were raped by an intimate partner.
Physical Violence
- As previously stated, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced intimate partner violence. 1 in 7 women and 1 in 25 men were injured as a result of the violence.
- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by their partner in their lifetime.
- For an array of reasons including fear, cost, or severity, only 34% of physical violence victims will seek medical care for injuries.
Domestic Violence Aftermath
Death
- If there is a gun involved in a case of domestic violence, the chances of homicide are increased by 500%.
- 19% of domestic violence cases involve a weapon.
- Not all homicide victims are the abused partner. About 20% of homicides in domestic violence cases account for bystanders, law enforcement, family, friends, and others.
- In the overall cases of murder-suicides, 72% of them involve an intimate partner as a victim.
- Victims of domestic violence are linked to higher rates of depression and suicidal behavior and tendencies.
- Cases of miscarriage and stillbirth have been linked to ongoing domestic violence.
Mental and Physical Health
- Victims of domestic violence are extremely likely to experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, and Battered Woman Syndrome.
- Victims have presented with an array of physical complications such as STIs, HIV, gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain, neurological disorders, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.
- Victims are more likely to develop drug and alcohol addictions, which have lasting mental and physical repercussions.
- PTSD and other disorders are also likely to arise from eyewitnesses, most specifically children.
- 1 in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence and 90% of them are eyewitnesses.
- 30-60% of abusers will also be violent toward children within the home.
Age, Gender, and Sexual Orientation
These three factors do not discriminate against domestic violence.
- While domestic violence happens regardless of age and gender, it is important to note that women aged 18-24 years old are most commonly victims of domestic violence.
- 1 in 4 gay men and 1 in 3 bisexual men are victims of some form of domestic abuse in their lifetimes.
- 44% of lesbian women and 61% of bisexual women are victims of some form of domestic abuse in their lifetimes.
- About 2 in 5 transgender people experience domestic violence in some way shape or form.
Protect Yourself and Others
These statistics are extremely worrisome in any way you look at them. What is even more concerning, is that despite the estimated 20,000 calls to hotlines per day, most cases of domestic violence are never reported to police in the first place. Efforts to prevent and protect those are ongoing and being more widely acknowledged. Even the Department of Justice has donated more than $476 million in grants to address these issues.
Please take a look at the following pages to inform yourself of signs of domestic abuse or resources for those who are experiencing it.