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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.
IPV/DV is one of the most chronically underreported
crimes (NCADV, 2007). Only approximately one-quarter of all
physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of
all stalkings perpetuated against females by intimate partners
are reported to the police (NCADV, 2007). Even fewer IPV/DV
incidents against men are reported. 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 and because
of the differences in the definitions of IPV/DV and how statistics
are gathered, there are discrepancies in the statistics.
- An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical
assault by an intimate partner each year (NCADV, 2007a).
- 85% of domestic violence victims are women (NCADV, 2007a).
- Historically, females have been most often victimized
by someone they knew (NCADV, 2007a).
- Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest
risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence (NCADV, 2007a).
- Most cases of IPV/DV are never reported to the police
(NCADV, 2007a).
- Almost one-third of female homicide victims that are reported
in police records are killed by an intimate partner (NCADV,
2007a).
- In 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, no matter which
partner was killed, the man physically abused the woman
before the murder (NCADV, 2007a).
- One in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted
or completed rape (NCADV, 2007a).
- Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by an intimate
partner at some point in their lives (NCADV, 2007a).
- Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in approximately
40-45% of battering relationships (NCADV, 2007a).
- 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men have been stalked in their
lifetime (NCADV, 2007a)
- 81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner
are also physically assaulted by that partner; 31% are also
sexually assaulted by that partner (NCADV, 2007a).
- Each year, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes (CDC, 2011).
- IPV resulted in 2,340 deaths in 2007. Of these deaths, 70% were females and 30% were males (CDC, 2011).
- Men are the victims of about 2.9 million intimate partner related physical assaults (CDC, 2011).
- Between 4% and 8% of pregnant women are abused at least
once during the pregnancy (Gazmararian, et al., 2000).
- 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).
- The medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (e.g., time away from work) cost of IPV was an estimated $5.8 billion in 1995. Updated to 2003 dollars, that’s more than $8.3 billion (CDC, 2011).
Statistics specifically for Florida include (FDLE, 2011):
- In 2010, there were 113,378 reported domestic violence incidents (FDLE, 2011). This number is less than the 116,547 reported domestic violence incidents in 2009 (FDLE, 2011).
- Females were the victims in 85% of domestic violence homicides in 2007 (NCADV, n.d.).
- Of the 116,547 reports, there were 210 deaths, which included 191 cases of murder, which was 17 fewer than in 2009; and 19 cases of manslaughter (FDLE, 2011).
- Miami Dade county had the highest number of deaths in 2007 with 23 cases of homicide related to IPV/DV, followed by Pinellas and Broward counties with 15 homicides each (FDLE, 2008).
- The most common charge in domestic violence cases was for simple assault; there were 89,435 cases of simple assault and 18,299 cases of aggravated assault (FDLE, 2011).
- 24% of all aggravated assaults in 2007 were domestic violence related (NCADV, n.d.).
- There were 954 cases of forcible rape among domestic violence incidents in 2010; 270 cases of forcible sodomy and 846 cases of forcible fondling (FDLE, 2011).
- In 2010 there were 392 cases of simple stalking and 214 cases of aggravated stalking (FDLE, 2011).
- In 2010 there were 2,758 cases of threats/intimidation (FDLE, 2011).
- Of the victims of domestic violence, 27,785 were the spouse of the abuser, 33,894 victims cohabited with the abuser, and 9,017 were the children of the abused (FDLE, 2008);
- Of the reported cases, 66% of the offenses were committed by a spouse, co-habitant, or girlfriend/boyfriend (NCADV, n.d.).
Figure 1. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
Florida's Rate 1997-2006
Overall, the rate of domestic violence in Florida has declined since 1997 (see Figure 1), reflecting the national trend of slowly declining rates of IPV/DV. While that indicates an improvement, the suffering for those who continue to be abused persists.
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