Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV), often called domestic violence, is generally described as abuse within the context of an intimate partner relationship, where one partner asserts power and control over the other. While legal definitions vary by state, IPV can include physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, as well as economic coercion. IPV affects millions of individuals, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, race, age, religion, education, or economic status. Because of the seriousness of this crime, the effects on victims and their families, and the difficulties in the criminal justice system response, victims of IPV may require sustained resources, including access to emergency shelter, housing assis- tance, protection orders, safety planning, support groups, financial assistance, and other forms of support.

Trends In 2015, the rate of intimate partner violent victimization among women rose about 46% over the previous year. However, in the 20 years since 1995, the rates of violent intimate partner victimization among men and women have decreased by 98% and 65%, respectively. Because the personal nature of these victimizations often influences a victim’s decision to report the crime, victimizations by intimate partners are highly underreported. In 2015, violent victimizations committed by family members were reported more frequently than those committed by intimate partners, followed by acquaintances (either well-known or casual) and strangers.A

Intimate Partner Victimization by SexA Percent of Victimizations Reported to PoliceA rate per 1,000 people by victim’s relationship to offender 20 80% 20 80% 70% 67 16 15.5 Men 49 57 60% Women 46 54 50% 12 43 40% 42 48 8 4.9 5.4 30% 34 46 20% 40 4 2.8 1.6 31 0.5 10% 0 0% 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 Other family Intimate partner Acquaintance Stranger

According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), an estimated 47% of men and women will be victims of psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime. In addition, 1/3 of women will be victims of physical violence, and 1/4 of contact sexual violence,* by an intimate partner. Almost 1/4 of men will be victims of physical violence by an intimate partner.B

Lifetime Estimate of Intimate Partner ViolenceB Did You Know? by sex and type of victimization 50% 46.5 47.1 10% of high schoolers who report being in a dating relationship experience physical violence by a boyfriend Men or girlfriend; 10% also experience sexual violence.C 31.5 Women 27.5 27.3 9% of homicides are committed by intimate partners.D

20% of women who identify as victims of intimate 11.5 partner violence report that they experience 1 or more 9.2 PTSD symptoms, compared to 5% of men.B 2.5

Psychological Physical Contact sexual Stalking aggression violence violence* *“Contact sexual violence” includes rape, being made to penetrate a perpetrator, sexual coercion, and unwanted sexual contact.

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets Current Data on Intimate Partner Violence

Psychological aggression is the most common form of An estimated 71% of female intimate partner victims are intimate partner violence, affecting men and women of all victimized before age 25; 23% before age 18. Comparatively, races and ethnicities. The percentage of American Indian 58% of male intimate partner victims are victimized before and Alaska Native women estimated to be victimized by age 25; 14% before age 18.B intimate partners is higher than any other race or ethnicity. (National estimates of IPV are not reported for men across all Age of First Intimate Partner VictimizationB ethnicities.)B by sex

Estimate of Intimate Partner Violence against WomenB 100% Men 71.1 by race/ethnicity Women 58.2 100% 100%

80% 63.8 61.1 43.9 53.8 47.2 23.2 51.7 51.3 14.1 60% 29.7 41.2 30.5 42.4 43.1

40% 24.2 31.8 28.0 Before 18 Before 25

20%

0% Hispanic Black, Non- White, Non- American Multiracial Hispanic HispanicBlack, HispanicWhite, AmericanIndian/Alaska Indian/ Multiracial Households earning between $15,000 and $24,999 reported Non-Hispanic Non-Hispanic AlaskaNative Native slightly more intimate partner victimizations in 2015 than Contact Sexual Violence Physical Violence Psychological Aggression Contact Physical Psychological other households. However, intimate partner violence is not sexual violence violence aggression isolated to any particular income bracket.A

Intimate Partner Violence by Household IncomeA In 2015, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs in thousands of victimizations collected information from almost 2,000 LGBTQ and HIV- affected individuals who had been victims of intimate partner violence. Of these, 43% identified as gay, 19% as $75,000 or more 108.9 lesbian, 10% as bisexual, and 9% as queer; and 41% were $50,000–$74,999 112.0 under 30 years old, while 30% were age 30–39.E Percentage of Intimate Partner Violence (By $35,000–$49,999 65.1 Sexual Orientation)Percentage of Intimate Partner ViolenceE by victim’s sexual orientation $25,000–$34,999 36.1

Gay Gay (43%) $15,000–$24,999 144.0 LesbianLesbian (19%) Bisexual $7,500–$14,999 81.9 HeterosexualHeterosexual (16%) QueerBisexual (10%) Less than $7,500 51.2 OtherQueer (9%) 150,000 Other (3%)

SOURCES A Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Concate- In more than 80% of intimate partner violent victimizations, nated File, 1992-2015, (U.S. Department of Justice) the victim did not receive assistance from victim service B Matthew J. Breiding et al., “Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Vio- IPV Victims Who Recieved Service from Victim lence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, NISVS 2011,” A agenciesService in 2015.Agencies MMWR vol 63, 8(2014): www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6308.pdf C CDC, Youth Behavior Surveillance System, 2015, https://nccd.cdc.gov/ Youthonline/App/Default.aspx Intimate Partner Victimizations for A D FBI, Crime in the United States, 1995 - 2015, (U.S. Department of Justice), which Victim Received Services Table 10 from victim service agencies E Emily Waters, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and HIV-Af- Did not receive services (82%) fected Intimate Partner Violence in 2015,” (National Coalition of Anti-Vi- olence Programs, 2016), www.avp.org/storage/documents/2015_ncavp_ Received services (18%) lgbtqipvreport.pdf

Received Did Not Receive