Statistics

• Physical violence is estimated to occur in 4 to 6 million intimate relationships each year in the United States.
• Over two-thirds of violent victimizations against women were committed by someone known to them: 31% of female victims reported that the offender was a stranger. Approximately 28% were intimates such as husbands or boyfriends, 35% were acquaintances, and the remaining 5% were other relatives.
• In 2001, 41,740 women were victims of rape/sexual assault committed by an intimate partner.
• Studies by the Surgeon General's office reveal that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44, more common than automobile accidents, muggings, and cancer deaths combined.
• Domestic violence is the single greatest cause of injury to women.
• Domestic violence is most prominent among women aged 16 to 24.
• In 2005, teenagers (ages 12 to 19) experienced 1.5 million violent crimes; this figure includes 73,354 sexual assaults and rapes.
• In the year 2001, more than half a million American women (588,490 women) were victims of nonfatal violence committed by an intimate partner.
• The rates at which individuals report domestic violence to police vary along racial and gender lines. Hispanic and black women report domestic violence at the highest rate (approximately 65% to 67% of abuse is reported). For white females, only about 50% of the abuse is reported.
• Women are most likely to be murdered when attempting to report abuse or to leave an abusive relationship.
• Almost 6 times as many women victimized by intimates (18%) as those victimized by strangers (3%) did not report their violent victimization to police because they feared reprisal from the offender.
• Federal family violence prevention services programs were under funded by $48,000,000 in 2005.

Sources: findcounseling.com, aardvark.org, Student Peace Alliance, Missouri Shores