Domestic Violence: Did You Know...?
- Nationwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.
- On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines receive approximately 21,000 calls—approximately 15 calls every minute.
- Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
- A National Violence Against Women survey found that 21.5% of men and 35.4% of women living with a same-sex partner experienced intimate-partner physical violence in their lifetimes; this is compared with 7.1% and 20.4% for men and women, respectively, with a history of only opposite-sex cohabitation. Transgender respondents had an incidence of 34.6% over a lifetime according to a Massachusetts survey.
- The CDC reports that the lifetime prevalence of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner was 43.8% for lesbians, 61.1% for bisexual women, and 35% for heterosexual women, while it was 26% for gay men, 37.3% for bisexual men, and 29% for heterosexual men (this study did not include gender identity or expression).
- Having a gun in the home increases the risk of homicide by at least 500%.
- 72% of all murder-suicides involved an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these crimes are female.
These statistics on domestic violence are distressing, but they do offer one less visible but still equally important fact: If you are or were a victim of domestic violence—or know someone who is or was a victim of domestic violence and needs counseling and support—YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It is NEVER your fault. Every day, victims who have suffered domestic abuse—maybe for days, maybe for years—find the strength and spirit that has been lying dormant inside them and reach out for help and healing.
Please know that asking for help is not weakness—it shows strength. If you are questioning the health of a relationship—yours or another’s, intimate or familial—please call us and speak with one of our counselors. While not certified as such, each of us is specially trained to assist you in the examination of the relationship and determine whether it’s abusive and, if so, what level of danger is present. Whether you are planning to leave an intimate partner or just need advice on staying safe in the presence of an abusive family member, we can help.