Family

100 Domestic Violence Facts

By Beth Ross

1. Japan is known for being big on video-games. As a matter of fact, they even have a "Domestic Violence" Video Game.

2. DV, Spousal Abuse and intimate partner abuse statistics come from only two major sources, Agency Data and Survey Data. The problem with the data is that it is biased because it is too varied, complex and partially un-volunteering.

3 Fact: DV shelters funded by the Federal Government are not required to produce information and do not, information about what they do, how many numbers in or out is unknown, statistics and algorithms are not recorded, this does not help determine if domestic violence is rising or decreasing.

4. Legally and fully married couples report less than 5% of domestic violence calls and are less violent than the more unstable and unbonded relationship.

5. A CDC (center for disease control) survey found that 50 percent of all spousal violence was mutual making Partner aggression two-way.

6. 75% of domestic violence is caused by drug addicts.

7. Pets such as dogs, cats, etc are affected by Domestic Violence just as much as humans.

8. More than 50% of spousal Abusers also abuse their children.

9. Domestic violence occurs in both Religioius and NON Religious families.

10. Spousal Abuse occurs in poor, middle class, rich and in wealthy families although lower income families are more lkely to experience it.

11. It was illegal for a man to hit his wife after 9 P.M. in London ( meaning it was ok before 9 P.M.) reasoning was that women needed time to rest in order to do house chores.

12. Domestic Violence is a disease as it can be transmitted from one generation to the other.

13. Battered women shelters serve more children than they do women.

14. All Abusers do in fact feel guilt and are afraid of being caught.

15. Statistics on Domestic Violence are not precise, never have been and never will be. However, statistics certainly can become more accurate.

16. Women can indeed support themselves if they leave a domestic violence relationship, even if they believe otherwise. There are many programs available for DV victims.

17. When a victim decides to leave and gets caught is when they are in the most danger.

18. Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness nationally.

19. 25 % of all violent crimes reported in the UK are domestic violence related.

20. Domestic Violence claims the life of 2 women a week minimum, based on what is reported.

21. Often it is mocked, deemed foolish and comic when a man claims being a victim of domestic violence, however studies show that men lose their life to domestic violence at similiar rates as women do.

22. Certain types of Abusers can be very well liked socially, can seem very nice out of the home debunking any claims the victim may have and making them feel NON-Credible.

23. 63% percent of all murders committed by boys between the ages of 11 thru 20 kill their mother's Abuser.

24. Every State in the U.S. has a State coalition against domestic violence.

25. Domestic Violence can happen to anyone, even Oprah was once a victim and celebrities are constantly on the map for it.

26. Prevention and Education of DV is not taught in schools, If you know of a school that does have classes please reply here.

27. Police, Correctional, F.B.I, and High Ranking officials can also be Abuser's of Domestic Violence.

28. Men can be just as afraid of women in intimate partner relationships.

29. Men are less likely to report abuse as victims due to embarrassment, stigmas, credibility and nothing has been done to encourage it.

30. Every 15 seconds a woman is assaulted by a boyfriend her husband or a lover, every 14 seconds the same happens to a man ( FOX 2 NEWS )

31. There are 1500 Shelters for women in the United States and 3500 Animal Shelters, this is true there are more Animal Shelters.

32. Court ordered Domestic Violence courses and classes are not always succesful and DO NOT Guarantee the abuse will stop, However it can and does help.

33. Professionals such as, Doctors, Lawyers, Police Oficers, Ministers, Psychologists also beat their wives.

34. Stopping an Abuser's Drug and or Alcohol problem will not stop their abusive patterns, they are two seperate entities although drug and alcohol use does make abuse more likely.

35. Many assaults are planned, premeditated and can last for hours.

36. Abuser's target NON visible part of the body and even when bruises are visible the victim usually manages to cover up the bruise.

37. An abuser will assault a women in the stomach while she is pregnant as it manipulates the woman drastically as she does not want her baby hurt. This is what I call the 2 in 1, abusing 2 people with one stone.

38. Police presence can make a woman even more vulnerable, because once the police is gone and the couple are back together, the victim will have to pay the consequences.

39. Domestic and Family violence kills just as many women every 5 years as the number of Americans killed in the Viet Nam War according to (The Domestic Violence Sourcebook, Berry, 1996)

40. Just 17 states kept data on reported domestic violence offenses in 1991, According to this report: (Senate Judiciary Committee Report, October 1992)

41. Domestic Violence is the leading cause of death of women in the United States of America, According to the US Surgeon General.

42. Among causes of injury to women combined such as muggings, rape, Car Accidents, slips and falls, work related injuries, Battering would be the leader of the pack being the single largest cause of injury to women nationally.

43. 30 % of all Domestic Violence incidents involve weapons.

44. 80% of OHIO prisoners come from homes where domestic violence was an issue, this includes juveniles as well as adults.

45. Domestic Violence is not an anger contol, however the victim may be led to believe so.

46. Children are aware of the DV in their home, even if it is hidden.

47. It is a crime and it is against the law to harass or physically harm another human being.

48. The U.S economy suffers a loss of up to $100 Million Dollars a year in Medical Expenses and between $3 and $5 Billion Dollars in missing work or sick days annually.

49. 22% percent of all Divorces in middle-class relationshiops are due to violence (EAP Digest November/December 1991)

50. Family Violence or Spousal Abuse is a secretive crime and can be a very well kept secret for years if not permanently.

51. Pregnant women that are battered are more likely to have babies with defects,low birth weights and even miscarriages.

52. Babysitters, Housekeepers, Gardeners, Caregivers, Guardians, Godparents, Butlers, and or sleepover friends are not exempt from domestic violence, no one is.

53. local law enforcements are not required or mandated to maintain data on the relationship between victim and offender except in the case of murder.

54. Until 1984 advising the Male partner to "take a walk around the block" was usually as much as police could legally do when responding to a domestic violence call.

55. It was in 1984 that the United States Attorney General suggest that automatic arrest become standard when responding to a domestic violence call.

56. Non Cooperation of the victim during abuser prosecution is too often the cause for dismissal of abuse cases, however some states no longer require the victim to follow thru and now continue prosecution when enough evidence allows. This is know as the no-drop policy.

57. Abusers may use legal and or illegal drugs to spike a victim's food or drink in order to further manipulate them and make them more vulnerable.

58. There are actually countries that do not have a domestic abuse law or crime bracket, for example in scotland there is no crime known as Domestic Abuse.

59. Insurance companies treat Domestic Violence as a pre-existing condition. Meaning if you're husband beats you either you can be turned down for insurance or you may have to pay a much higher insuranace premium.

60. Domestic Violence can be that of a slavery setting, where the victim works and the abuser reaps the benefits and controls every aspect of the victim's lifestyle.

61. In any given Domestic Abuse Case 95% of the times The male partner is arrested.

62. Domestic violence is an underreported crime Only approximately 25 percent of all physical assaults, and 50 percent of all stalkings perpetuated against females by intimate partners are reported.

63. Over one Million of Domestic Violence allegations are false.

64. In 7 out of 10 cases women were the aggressors of an Abuser/Abusee relationship where there male parnter did not re-act physically According to a national survey on partner aggression Published by the Centers for Disease Control in May 2007.

65. Men and women commit domestic violence at similar rates according to Professor Linda Kelly of The Indiana State University School of Law.

66. Women who experience domestic violence first hand are more likely to get sick in their latter years, sick as in suffereing from asthma, getting a stroke, 70% chance of having heart disease and a chance of turning to substance abouse or heavy drinking.

67. Domestic and sexual violence are known to involve the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as H.I.V. etc

68. The majority of women who have been victims of spousal abuse become less negotiating about practicing safe sex or using protection with future partners.

69. Many Abuser's have no criminal history or crime record and can seem harmless, kind and family oriented.

70. Undocumented immigrant victims are somehow more vulnerable to abuse, because of their partner's documented legal status, making them less likely to seek help due to deportation threats made by their abusers.

71. Women use violence to resolve conflict in intimate relationships just as often as men according to a well-publicized study conducted by Dr. Murray Strauss of the University of New Hampshire.

72. Abuser's with Legal U.S. Citizenship many times deter their victims from gaining U.S. Citizenship/legal status to keep them isolated.

73. A host of different women from hispanic backgrounds such as Mexico and Columbia are lead to believe that Domestic Violence is acceptable because of their Macho like cultures.

74. Undocumented Immigrants often do not trust the American Legal system when it comes to domestic abuse because of their fear of deportation, also the reason why they will stay in such relationships longer.

75. Men are less likely to view partner aggression towards them as a crime, another reason why men don't come forward.

76. A high number of women become victims due to them first initializing an assault towards their husband or partner.

77. Women are more likely to report abuse then men are as victims.

78. Domestic Violence does not appear on the U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services list of leading causes of injury. However, accidental slips and falls, over exertion and car accidents are.

79. The cost of domestic violence towards men us "UNKNOWN" however the cost of domestic violence towards women is $5.8 Billion according to the center for disease control but supposedly $13 Billion from other sources.

80. Automatic mandatory arrest laws escalate, not reduce, the risk of successful partner violence, because when abusers are let loose ther are known to retaliate.

81. The claimed fact that women lose $8 Million days of paid work is actually reversed, this is the total amount of lost days in monies Men lose each year not women, do the math.

82. 71% of kids killed by a parent were killed by their mothers, according to Data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

83. Domestic violence facts and statistics are amongst the most misleading, mythical, railroaded, un-informative and farse facts and statistics ever. Much trickory and deception is used in the numbers brought forward.

84. BWS or Battered Women's Syndrome firt came about in the 1970's. This alleged syndrome helped and cushioned women who murdered their husbands, boyfriends, or lovers. It was also used to justify why they killed their partners.

85. Major Holidays aren't any better for victims than they are for Abusers, ThanksGiving and Christmas raises tention and stress in domestic abuse relationtips due to the victims yearning want to see his or her family and the abuser just not allowing it.

86. Abusers tend to deplete their victim's bank accounts and destroy their cedit to make them less versatile and more dependant on their abusers.

87. A staggering number of victims do not know what domestic abuse is, nor do they know that they are living it. Even when they have a sense that something's wrong, they do not see the abuse coming as it stems and grows, it is why they say love is blind.

88. Spousal and Domestic Abuse rates are not their highest on Super Bowl Sunday than any other single day of the year. Not all men are into football, as a matter of fact men usually are not with their female partners on that day.

89. The reason or reasons why victims stay in such relationships is or are limited financial funds to get out and move, fear of making the abuse worst if caught leaving, and immunity to the abuse, there is an old saying "we like what we know, but we are afraid of what we don't know"

90. A century 100 Years Ago it was legal for the husband to beat his wife in the UK given that he only used a stick no thick in width than his thumb.

91. Domestic Violence occurs in absolutely all races and ethnic groups to any gender regardless of age.

92. If battering and abuse is not decreasing, its increasing and tends to develop over time.

93. Abusive women have used domestic violence as a tool to arrest and intimidate their male partners by making false claims that her husband assaulted her. With the new domestic abuse laws of mandatory arrest on a domestic abuse call this is an easy one for women to pull. ( Ladies don't get any ideas, if you're husband treats you well, be nice to him )

94. A study on dating couples determined that 70 percent of all physical abuse was inflicted by both parties.

95. Blind, deaf, handicapped and mentally retarded persons are also subject to abuse one way or another.

96. Military domestic violence statistics show that the army had the higher incidents of all the services Marines, Navy, and Air Force following in order.

97. Technology has played a major role in domestic abuse recently. For example Abusers use Email, tracking devices, cell phones etc, to monitor their victims whereabouts. Victimized Men have also incorporated the use of technology in the form of surveillance to record and prove that their spouse was indeed abusing them.

98. Written policies, standards, protocols are a must by all law enforcement when responding to any domestic disputes.

99. A victim does not have the option to choose whether they can press charges or drop the charges once an arrest is made. The state takes over the case and follows prosecution.

100. A protective order, Order of protection, stay away order, restraining order, emergency protective restraining order whether temporary or permanent does not guarantee solid protection for a victim, especially since victims tend to allow the abuser to contact them after an arrest or the abuser may stalk the victim. However an automatic mandatory arrest is made if authorities are made aware that the perpetrator has violated such court order.

See Also:

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
The statistics indicate that when one parent, typically the male, is abusive to the other parent, the children are more likely to be abused as well.

Damaged: How Domestic Violence Shapes A Child
Studies have shown that males who batter their partners are also likely to batter their children and it is estimated that around 3 million youngsters are exposed to violent behavior at home every year. Children from abusive homes are also more prone to be sexually and physically abused and are generally more neglected than those in non-abusive dwellings.

Beth Ross is a moderator at http://www.domestic-violence-online-center.com/ voluntarily helps with the forum and contributes content for the site. Having gone thru domestic abuse in her past beth now passes on what she knows on her free time.