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This alarmingly common problem is a serious
public health concern. One in four women report that they
have been physically assaulted or raped by an intimate partner.
These crimes occur in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships.
Statistics about IPV/DV vary widely for a
number of reasons. It is estimated that cases of IPV/DV are
highly underreported, so that the statistics do not reflect
the actual occurrence. Additionally, the numbers vary widely
because of differences between states on the definition of
IPV/DV, differences in how other data sources define IPV/DV
and variations in how data is collected.
Most IPV/DV incidents are not reported to
the police. About 20% of IPV/DV rapes or sexual assaults,
25% of physical assaults, and 50% of stalking incidents directed
toward women are not reported. Even fewer IPV/DV incidents
against men are reported (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a). The reported
data greatly underestimates the true magnitude of the problem.
The following represents national
information on the occurrence of IPV/DV. In many cases, the
severity of the IPV/DV behaviors is not known (CDC, 2005).
Additionally, because of the differences in the definitions
of IPV/DV and how statistics are gathered, there are some
discrepancies in the statistics.
- IPV/DV results in nearly 2 million injuries and
1,300 deaths nationwide every year (CDC, 2003).
- Nearly 5.3 million incidents of IPV/DV occur each
year among U.S. women ages 18 and older, and 3.2 million
occur among men. Most assaults are relatively minor
and consist of pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping,
and hitting (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a).
- In the United States every year, about 1.5 million
women and more than 800,000 men are raped or physically
assaulted by an intimate partner. This translates
into about 47 IPV/DV assaults per 1,000 women and
32 assaults per 1,000 men (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a).
- Estimates indicate more than 1 million women and
371,000 men are stalked by intimate partners each
year (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a).
- IPV/DV accounted for 20% of nonfatal violence against
women in 2001 and 3% against men (Rennison, 2003).
- From 1976 to 2002, about 11% of homicide victims
were killed by an intimate partner (Fox & Zawitz,
2004).
- In 2002, 76% of IPV/DV homicide victims were female;
24% were male (Fox & Zawitz, 2004).
- The number of IPV/DV homicides decreased 14% overall
for men and women in the span of about 20 years, with
a 67% decrease for men (from 1,357 to 388) vs. 25%
for women (from 1,600 to 1,202) (Fox & Zawitz, 2004).
- One study found that 44% of women murdered by their
intimate partner had visited an emergency department
within 2 years of the homicide. Of these women, 93%
had at least one injury visit (Crandal, et al., 2004).
- Previous literature suggests that women who have
separated from their abusive partners often remain
at risk of violence (Campbell, et al., 2003; Fleury,
Sullivan & Bybee, 2000).
- Firearms were the major weapon type used in intimate
partner homicides from 1981 to 1998 (Paulozzi, et
al., 2001).
- A national study found that 29% of women and 22%
of men had experienced physical, sexual, or psychological
IPV/DV during their lifetime (Coker, et al., 2002).
- Between 4% and 8% of pregnant women are abused
at least once during the pregnancy (Gazmararian, et
al., 2000).
- The National Crime Victimization Survey found that
85% of IPV/DV victims were women (Rennison, 2003).
- Prevalence of IPV/DV varies among race. Among the
ethnic groups most at risk are American Indian/Alaskan
Native women and men, African-American women, and
Hispanic women (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000b).
- Young women and those below the poverty line are
disproportionately victims of IPV/DV (Tjaden & Thoennes,
2000b).
- Studies show that for low levels of physical violence,
men and women self-report perpetrating physical IPV/DV
at about the same rate. However, a common criticism
of these studies is that they are generally lacking
information on the context of the violence (e.g.,
whether self-defense is the reason for the violence)
(Archer, 2000).
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Regarding the
Military and IPV/DV, the National Coalition
Against Domestic violence (NCADV) (n.d. c), reported in 2001:
- There were more then 18,000 incidents of spousal
abuse reported to the Department of Defense's Family
Advocacy Program.
- 84% of these incidents involved physical abuse.
- 62% of the abusers were on active duty military.
- 66% of victims were identified as women, the civilian
spouses of active duty personnel.
- Among active duty women, 30% reported an adult
life-time prevalence of IPV/DV and 22% reported IPV/DV
during active military duty.
- Among Navy recruits, 54% of men and 40% of women
have witness parental IPV/DV prior to their enlistment.
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The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
reports that in Florida in 2004:
- In 2004 there were 119,772 reported domestic violence
incidents; 64,072 arrests were made;
- The 199,772 domestic violence reports included
184 murders, 111,573 assaults and 4,551 incidents
of threats or intimidation;
- In 2004 there were 751 reports of stalking;
- Of the victims of domestic violence, 30,427 were
the spouse of the abuser, 36,289 victim cohabited
with the abuser, and 9,213 were the children of the
abuser;
- In 2003 19% of murders were domestic violence related,
59% were the spouse or the cohabiting partner of the
perpetrator, and 13% were children;
- In fiscal year 2003-2004, 43% of domestic violence
murder victims had previously reported incidents of
domestic violence;
- 87% of perpetrators of domestic violence murders
were male; 70% of domestic violence murder victims
were female;
- In fiscal year 2003-2004 domestic violence centers
responded to 132,629 crisis calls, provided counseling
service to 197,787 individuals, and provided emergency
shelter to 14,467 individuals;
- In fiscal year 2003-2004 there was a 4.5% increase
in the number of individuals in shelter from the previous
year and a 65% increase in the number of individuals
seeking shelter who received referrals to other shelters,
hotels and safe places from the previous year.
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