DOMESTIC VIOLENCE October is Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness Month

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHAT IS IT? Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systemic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STATISTICS 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been physically abused On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines are called 20,800 time Domestic Violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500% Domestic Violence is most common in women between the ages of % of all domestic violence involves a weapon Domestic violence is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHY IT MATTERS Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio- economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and even death. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.

INTIMATE PARTNER PHYSICAL ABUSE WHAT IS IT? Physical abuse includes the physical assault, battery, and sexual assault. Physical abuse can cause severe injury and even death. It often occurs with other forms of abuse, including psychological, economical, and stalking.

INTIMATE PARTNER PHYSICAL ABUSE STATISTICS In 2007, 1,640 women were murdered by intimate partners In 2012, 924 women were killed by intimate partners 40% of female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner 76% of women killed by intimate partners and 85% of women who survive homicide attempts are stalked prior to the murder or attempted murder

INTIMATE PARTNER PHYSICAL ABUSE WHY IT MATTERS Intimate partner physical abuse is not bound by specific groups of people. Contrary to popular belief, physical abuse is not simply a maladjusted person’s occasional expression of frustration or anger, nor is it typically an isolated incident. Physical abuse is a tool of control and oppression and is a choice made by one person in relationship to control another.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE WHAT IS IT? Psychological abuse involves trauma to the victim caused by verbal abuse, acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics. Perpetrators use psychological abuse to control, terrorize, and denigrate their victims. It frequently occurs prior to or concurrently with physical or sexual abuse.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE STATISTICS 48.4% of women and 48.8% of men have experienced at least one psychologically aggressive behavior by an intimate partner 4 in 10 women and 4 in 10 men have experienced one form of coercive control by an intimate partner 17.9% of women have experienced a situation when an intimate partner tried to keep them from seeing family and friends.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE WHY IT MATTERS Psychological abuse increases trauma of physical and sexual abuse, and a number of studies have demonstrated that psychological abuse independently causes long- term damage to a victim’s mental health. Victims often experience depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and difficulty trusting others.

ECONOMIC ABUSE WHAT IS IT? When an abuser takes control of or limits access to shared or individual assets or limits the current or future earning potential of the victim from their own resources, rights and choices, isolating the victim financially and creating a forced dependency for the victim and other family members.

ECONOMIC ABUSE STATISTICS Between 94-99% of domestic violence survivors have also experienced economic abuse Between 21-60% of victims of domestic violence lose their jobs due to reasons stemming from abuse Victims of domestic violence lost a total of 8 million days of paid work each year

ECONOMIC ABUSE WHY IT MATTERS Victims of domestic violence may be unable to leave an abusive partner or may be forced to return to an abuser partner for economic reasons. Victims cannot afford to raise their children as well. Victims of coerced debt may face massive barriers to economic self- sufficiency, including struggling to find a job of even obtaining a place and its detrimental effects of their personal credit scores.

STALKING WHAT IS IT? Stalking is defined by law by the federal government. When an abuser acts in such a way as to intentionally create a fear of harm or death for the victim, that is stalking. This could take the form of a fear of harm, injury, or death for themselves, a relative, or any third party. Abusers who use stalking to terrorize and threaten create substantial emotional distress for their victims, family members and third parties.

STALKING STATISTICS 76% of women murdered by an intimate partner were stalked first; 85% of women who survived murder attempts were stalked 89% of female victims who have been physically assaulted before their murder were also stalked in the last year prior to their murder 54% of female victims reported stalking to the police before they were killed by their stalkers

STALKING WHY IT MATTERS Stalking is often an indicator of other forms of violence. 81% of women who were stalked by a current or former husband or co-habituating partner were also physically assaulted by that partner. 31% of victims were also sexually assaulted. Abusers use stalking to intimidate and control their victims.

SEXUAL ABUSE WHAT IS IT? Perpetrators who are physically violent toward their intimate partners are often sexually abusive as well. Victims who are both physically and sexually abused are more likely to be injured or killed than victims who experience one form of abuse. Abusers assault people of all genders, races, ages, social classes, and ethnicities. Women who are disabled, pregnant, or attempting to leave their abusers are at greatest risk for intimate partner rape.

SEXUAL ABUSE STATISTICS 18% of female victims of spousal rape say their children witnessed the crime Between 10% and 14% of married women will be raped at some point during their marriage Only 36% of all rape-victims ever report the crime to the police. The % of married women is even lower. Marital rape is the most unreported form of sexual assault Until 1976, state laws specifically exempted spousal rape from the general rape laws. In 1976, Nebraska was the first to legally recognize nonconsensual intercourse with a spouse as rape. By 1993, all 50 states had either forms of spousal rape charges

SEXUAL ABUSE WHY IT MATTERS Many Americans do not believe marital rape is actually rape. Intimate partner rape happens over and over again. Victims are made to feel “dirty” and that no one would ever want to be with her except her abuser. Victims suffer severe and long-lasting physical and mental health problems. They have higher rates of depression and anxiety than women who were raped by a non- intimate partner or physically abused, but not sexually abused by an intimate partner.

DATING ABUSE AND TEEN VIOLENCE WHAT IS IT? Federal law and many state laws define domestic violence as abuse perpetrated by a current or former spouse, co-habitant, or co-parent. This leaves dating partners without protections afforded to other current or former intimate partners, including access to protective orders and protection from gun violence.

DATING ABUSE AND TEEN VIOLENCE STATISTICS 20.9% of female high school students and 13.4 % of male high school students report being sexually abused by a dating partner Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the United States are abused by partners every year 43% of college women reported experiencing abuse behaviors from their partners

DATING ABUSE AND TEEN VIOLENCE WHY IT MATTERS Domestic violence is most common in women ages 18 – 24. The rate of marriage has declined steeply over the last fifty years. Young people are dating longer than in previous generations. As people get married later in life, dating violence will continue to rise. Given this prevalence, they need resources and increases in legal protections.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION First, seek help from a trained domestic violence advocate. Avoid using credit and debit cards that can enable an abuser to track your whereabouts. Keep your personal and financial records in a safe location. Leave copies with trusted friends or relatives. Compile an emergency evacuation box with copies of your family’s important records and documents. Keep copies of your car and house keys, extra money, and emergency phone numbers in a safe place. If you use the internet to explore domestic violence issues or research how to regain financial independence, make sure your abuser cannot trace your activities. Take a financial inventory, listing assets and liabilities. If your partner controls the money, look for other ways to find out more about their income, financial property and debts. Calculate what it would cost you to live on your own, and consider starting to set aside you own money in a safe place, even if it is just a few dollars. Obtain a copy of your credit report from any of the three major credit bureaus, review the information, and report any fraud, disputed claims, or identity theft. Under FACTA (The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act) you can obtain a free copy of your credit report each year. Seek assistance by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at SAFE (7233). Trained advocates are available 24/7 to provide you with help and support you deserve.

REFERENCES Fact sheets from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence retrieved from