Domestic Violence Prevalence and Research*

• Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of intimate partner violence per year to three million¹ Department of Justice Study
• On average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in this country every day.² Bureau of Justice Statistics
• In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner.³ Bureau of Justice Statistics
• In 2000, intimate partner homicides accounted for 33.5 percent of the murders of women and less than four percent of the murders of men.⁴ Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Victims cited privacy, abuser retaliation, or helplessness as primary reasons for not contacting police during or after abusive episodes (Department of Justice).⁵ Department of Justice Study
• The rate of intimate partner violence, by annual household income (1993-98) was found to be significantly higher in households with the lowest annual incomes.⁶ Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives frequently assault their children.⁷
• The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.⁸ Advisory Board Full Report

Immigrant Women and Domestic Violence

• Abusers often use their partners’ immigration status as a tool of control.  In such situations, it is common for a batterer to exert control over his partner’s immigration status in order to force her to remain in the relationship.⁹
• Forty-eight percent of Latinas in one study reported that their partner’s violence against them had increased since they immigrated to the United States.¹⁰
• Immigrant women often suffer higher rates of battering than U.S. citizens because they may come from cultures that accept domestic violence or because they have less access to legal and social services than U.S. citizens.¹¹
• Battered immigrant women who attempt to flee may not have access to bilingual shelters or financial assistance.¹²
• Battered immigrant women are unlikely to have the assistance of an interpreter in court, when reporting the abuse, or when inquiring about protections offered by the legal system.¹³

Pregnancy Increases Women's Risk of Abuse

• Pregnancy onset is associated with significant increases in the rates of psychological aggression, sexual coercion and sexual violence victimization during pregnancy.¹⁴
• As many as 324,000 women each year experience intimate partner violence during their pregnancy.¹⁵
• Research suggests that homicide is the leading cause of death overall for pregnant women, followed by cancer.¹⁶

The Cost of Domestic Violence

• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that combined, victims of partner violence lose more than 13.5 million work and productive household work days annually. Costs of DV
• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention places the estimated value of days lost from employment and household chores is 858.6 million. Costs of DV
• The total costs of IPV against women exceed an estimated $5.8 billion.  This figure includes the cost of medical and mental health care, lost productivity and work days. Costs of DV

*Special thanks to Jamie Mondics for her research work ! This page would not be possible without her efforts.