Domestic Violence
Statistics for domestic abuse are staggering. In the United States, more than half of homicides committed against women are committed by their partners. Men are not excluded from domestic abuse. Fifteen percent of domestic abuse is committed against men. Services for men are fewer than for women as men are less likely to report abuse since being a victim of domestic abuse is not manly.
STATISTICS:
- One in 3 women and 1 in 10 men are abused by a partner
- 49.1%of women & 40.7% of men have or are currently experiencing domestic violence
- 85% of domestic violence victims are women
- 67 to 80% of violence is by an intimate partner before they murder them
- The danger increases 75% when the victim leaves their abuser
- Abuse and death can occur by an abusive partner against the pets of the victim
- 320,000 pregnant women are murdered each year (45.3% of abused victims are pregnant women)
- It’s estimated that 1in 4 girls & 1 in 13 boys experience child abuse in the U.S.
- Most physical abuse and rapes go unreported
Domestic violence is not only physical violence and sexual abuse. It includes psychological, emotional, financial, and mistreatment by narcissists. No society or community is immune; teachers, legal representatives, clergy, and police officers can be perpetrators. Domestic violence is not a class issue, but a mental health issue.
No amount of love, nurturing, or support can penetrate the psyche of an abuser. On average, more than half of the women seen in mental health settings have experienced or are experiencing abuse. Statistics are not available regarding male victims.
Common diagnoses that affect domestic violence victims are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Traumatic events can produce profound and lasting changes in the victim’s life. Research indicates abuse can open the door to many other mental health issues and exacerbate existing conditions. The victim’s mental state can also be weaponized against them.
Many believe that trauma ends once a victim leaves their abuser. No, recovery must begin. A victim who was well-adjusted before the relationship often is not after leaving it. The pattern for men has been determined to be similar. Pursue trauma-informed assistance and professional support services.
Perpetrators may also abuse victims' pets. Some women have reported that their partner has harmed their pet and, in some cases, has killed their pet as a means of control and/or retaliation for their partner’s behavior. For the safety of their pets, many women remain or return to the abusive environment.
In some areas, shelters are available. Although shelters were not initially built to accommodate animals, some are adjusting their facilities to allow victims to bring their pets. Due to the scarcity of pet-friendly shelters, people should seek a motel or hotel that allows pets as a temporary measure until they find secure housing.
Children who witness domestic violence or experience domestic violence can suffer from depression, anxiety, isolation, shame, and aggressive or destructive behavior. Research shows that one-third of children who have experienced or witnessed abuse are about six times more likely to subject their own children to some form of abuse compared to rates observed in the general population. It is important to note, however, that most maltreated children do not become abusive parents.
It is difficult for an abuser to change. First of all, the perpetrator must want to change. Changing abusive behavior is very much like an addiction and is a lifelong process.
Some of the warning signs of an abusive partner are: is your partner jealous and/or possessive? Is he/she charming one minute and abusive the next? Does he/she tell you what to wear, where to go, who to see? Does he/she constantly put you down? Does he/she try to advance the relationship too quickly? Trust yourself to recognize if something seems wrong or too much; it probably is.
In conclusion, many communities have services for families of domestic violence. Look online for resources. If looking online at home is not safe, use a library computer for research when out alone. Consult your pastor or priest for assistance that may be available. Because no one, neither the victim nor the perpetrator, should have to live in this way.
RESOURCES:
50 Eye-Opening 2024 Domestic Violence Statistics
https://www.criminalattorneycolumbus.com/50-eye-opening-domestic-violence-statistics-for-2024/
ActionAid. Violence Against Women: The Statistics Around the World. https://www.actionaid.org.uk/blog/2022/11/01/violence-against-women-statistics-around-world
WHO. Devastatingly Pervasive: 1 in 3 Women Globally Experience Violence. https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2021-devastatingly-pervasive-1-in-3-women-globally-experience-violence
NLM. Global, Regional, and National Prevalence Estimates of Physical or Sexual, or Both, Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8885817/
UNFPA. State of World Population. “My Body Is My Own: Claiming the Right to Autonomy and Self-determination.” https://eeca.unfpa.org/en/news/nearly-half-all-women-worldwide-are-denied-their-bodily-autonomy-says-new-unfpa-report-my-body CAWC https://www.cawc.org/news/what-is-the-psychological-makeup-of-an-abuser/Personality-Traits
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. https//assets.speakcdn.com/assets2497/domestic_violence-2020080709350855.pdf?1596811079991
World Animal Health Foundation. “Pet Ownership Statistics. https://worldanimalfoundaion.org/advocate/pet-ownership-statistics
Humane Society of the United States. “Animal Cruelty and Human Violence FAQ.”
(2021). https://humanesociety/animal-cruelty-and-human-violence-faq#relate.
Prepared by
Dianne Phoenix