National Intimate Partner and Sexual Survey

2010 Summary Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Intimate Partner and Survey: 2010 Summary Report

Executive Summary Michele C. Black, Kathleen C. Basile, Matthew J. Breiding, Sharon G. Smith, Mikel L. Walters, Melissa T. Merrick, Jieru Chen, and Mark R. Stevens

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, Director

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Linda C. Degutis, DrPH, MSN, Director

Division of Violence Prevention Howard R. Spivak, MD, Director

November 2011

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia

Suggested Citation: Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T., Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report | Executive Summary 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Sexual violence, stalking, and violence, stalking, and intimate of data collection, and are based intimate partner violence are partner violence on complete interviews. Complete major public health problems in • Who is most likely to experience interviews were obtained from the . Many survivors these forms of violence 16,507 adults (9,086 women and of these forms of violence can 7,421 men). The relative standard • The patterns and impact of the experience physical injury, mental error (RSE), which is a measure violence experienced by specific health consequences such as of an estimate’s reliability, was perpetrators depression, anxiety, low self- calculated for all estimates in this esteem, and attempts, • The health consequences of report. If the RSE was greater than and other health consequences these forms of violence 30%, the estimate was deemed such as gastrointestinal disorders, unreliable and is not reported. substance , sexually trans- The National Intimate Partner Consideration was also given to mitted diseases, and gynecological and Sexual Violence Survey is an the case count. If the estimate or complications. These ongoing, nationally represen- was based on a numerator ≤ 20, consequences can lead to hospital- tative random digit dial (RDD) the estimate is also not reported. ization, disability, or death. telephone survey that collects Estimates for certain types of information about experiences violence reported by subgroups of Our understanding of these forms of sexual violence, stalking, and men such as victimization by of violence has grown substantially intimate partner violence among racial/ethnic group are not shown over the years. However, timely, non-institutionalized English and/ because the number of men in ongoing, and comparable national or Spanish-speaking women and these subgroups reporting rape and state-level data are lacking. men aged 18 or older in the United was too small to calculate a reliable Less is also known about how States. NISVS provides detailed estimate. These tables are included these forms of violence impact information on the magnitude in the report so that the reader specific populations in the United and characteristics of these forms can easily determine what was States or the extent to which rape, of violence for the nation and for assessed and where gaps remain. stalking, or violence by a romantic individual states. or are experienced Key Findings in childhood and adolescence. This report presents information related to several types of violence Sexual Violence by CDC’s National Center for Injury that have not previously been Any Perpetrator Prevention and Control launched measured in a national population- • Nearly 1 in 5 women (18.3%) and the National Intimate Partner and based survey, including types 1 in 71 men (1.4%) in the United Sexual Violence Survey in 2010 with of sexual violence other than States have been raped at some the support of the National Institute rape; expressive psychological time in their lives, including of Justice and the Department of and coercive control, completed forced penetration, Defense to address these gaps. and control of reproductive or attempted forced penetration, sexual health. This report also or alcohol/drug facilitated The primary objectives of the provides the first ever simultaneous completed penetration. National Intimate Partner and national and state-level prevalence • More than half (51.1%) of female Sexual Violence Survey are to estimates of violence for all states. victims of rape reported being describe: raped by an intimate partner • The prevalence and The findings presented in this and 40.8% by an acquaintance; characteristics of sexual report are for 2010, the first year for male victims, more than 2 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report | Executive Summary

half (52.4%) reported being or an acquaintance, 41.4% and partner (e.g., hit with a fist raped by an acquaintance 40.0%, respectively. or something hard, beaten, and 15.1% by a . • Repeatedly receiving unwanted slammed against something) • Approximately 1 in 21 men telephone calls, voice, or at some point in their lifetime. (4.8%) reported that they were text messages was the most • An estimated 10.7% of women made to penetrate someone else commonly experienced stalking and 2.1% of men have been during their lifetime; most men tactic for both female and male stalked by an intimate partner who were made to penetrate victims of stalking (78.8% for during their lifetime. someone else reported that women and 75.9% for men). • Nearly half of all women and the perpetrator was either an • More than half of female victims men in the United States have intimate partner (44.8%) or an and more than one-third of male experienced psychological acquaintance (44.7%). victims of stalking indicated that aggression by an intimate • An estimated 13% of they were stalked before the partner in their lifetime (48.4% women and 6% of men have age of 25; about 1 in 5 female and 48.8%, respectively). experienced sexual victims and 1 in 14 male victims • Most female and male victims of in their lifetime (i.e., unwanted experienced stalking between rape, physical violence, and/or after being the ages of 11 and 17. stalking by an intimate partner pressured in a nonphysical (69% of female victims; 53% of way); and 27.2% of women and Violence by an male victims) experienced some 11.7% of men have experienced Intimate Partner form of intimate partner violence unwanted sexual contact. • More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%) for the first time before 25 years • Most female victims of and more than 1 in 4 men of age. completed rape (79.6%) (28.5%) in the United States experienced their first rape have experienced rape, physical Impact of Violence by before the age of 25; 42.2% violence, and/or stalking by an an Intimate Partner experienced their first completed intimate partner in their lifetime. • Nearly 3 in 10 women and 1 rape before the age of 18 years. • Among victims of intimate in 10 men in the United States • More than one-quarter of male partner violence, more than have experienced rape, physical victims of completed rape 1 in 3 women experienced violence, and/or stalking by an (27.8%) experienced their first multiple forms of rape, stalking, intimate partner and reported rape when they were 10 years of or physical violence; 92.1% at least one impact related to age or younger. of male victims experienced experiencing these or other physical violence alone, and forms of violent behavior in the Stalking Victimization 6.3% experienced physical relationship (e.g., being fearful, by Any Perpetrator violence and stalking. concerned for safety, post • One in 6 women (16.2%) and 1 • Nearly 1 in 10 women in the traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 19 men (5.2%) in the United United States (9.4%) has been symptoms, need for health care, States have experienced stalking raped by an intimate partner in injury, contacting a crisis hotline, victimization at some point her lifetime, and an estimated need for housing services, need during their lifetime in which 16.9% of women and 8.0% of for victim’s advocate services, they felt very fearful or believed men have experienced sexual need for legal services, missed at that they or someone close to violence other than rape by an least one day of work or school). them would be harmed or killed. intimate partner at some point in • Two-thirds (66.2%) of female their lifetime. Violence Experienced victims of stalking were stalked • About 1 in 4 women (24.3%) by Race/Ethnicity by a current or former intimate and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) have • Approximately 1 in 5 Black partner; men were primarily experienced severe physical (22.0%) and White (18.8%) stalked by an intimate partner violence by an intimate non-Hispanic women, and 1 in 7 Hispanic women (14.6%) in the The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report | Executive Summary 3

United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or Health Consequences rape at some point in their stalking by an intimate partner • Men and women who lives. More than one-quarter of during their lifetime. experienced rape or stalking women (26.9%) who identified by any perpetrator or physical as American Indian or as Alaska Number and Sex violence by an intimate partner Native and 1 in 3 women (33.5%) of Perpetrators in their lifetime were more likely who identified as multiracial • Across all types of violence, the to report frequent headaches, non-Hispanic reported rape majority of both female and male chronic pain, difficulty with victimization in their lifetime. victims reported experiencing sleeping, activity limitations, • One out of 59 White non- violence from one perpetrator. poor physical health and poor than men and Hispanic men (1.7%) has • Across all types of violence, women who did not experience experienced rape at some point the majority of female victims these forms of violence. in his life. Nearly one-third of reported that their perpetrators Women who had experienced multiracial non-Hispanic men were male. (31.6%) and over one-quarter of these forms of violence were • Male rape victims and male Hispanic men (26.2%) reported also more likely to report victims of non-contact sexual violence other than rape having asthma, irritable bowel unwanted sexual experiences in their lifetimes. syndrome, and diabetes than reported predominantly male women who did not experience • Approximately 1 in 3 multiracial perpetrators. Nearly half of these forms of violence. non-Hispanic women (30.6%) stalking victimizations against and 1 in 4 American Indian or males were also perpetrated Alaska Native women (22.7%) by males. Perpetrators of other State-Level Estimates • Across all types of violence reported being stalked during forms of violence against males examined in this report, state- their lifetimes. One in 5 Black were mostly female. non-Hispanic women (19.6%), level estimates varied with 1 in 6 White non-Hispanic women lifetime estimates for women Violence in the 12 Months (16.0%), and 1 in 7 Hispanic ranging from 11.4% to 29.2% for Prior to Taking the Survey women (15.2%) experienced rape; 28.9% to 58% for sexual • One percent, or approximately stalking in their lifetimes. violence other than rape; and 1.3 million women, reported 25.3% to 49.1% for rape, physical • Approximately 1 in 17 Black non- being raped by any perpetrator violence, and/or stalking by an Hispanic men (6.0%), and in the 12 months prior to taking intimate partner. 1 in 20 White non-Hispanic men the survey. (5.1%) and Hispanic men (5.1%) • For men, lifetime estimates • Approximately 1 in 20 women in the United States experienced ranged from 10.8% to 33.7% for and men (5.6% and 5.3%, stalking in their lifetime. sexual violence other than rape; respectively) experienced sexual and 17.4% to 41.2% for rape, • Approximately 4 out of every 10 violence victimization other than physical violence, and/or stalking women of non-Hispanic Black or rape by any perpetrator in the by an intimate partner. American Indian or Alaska Native 12 months prior to taking the race/ethnicity (43.7% and 46.0%, survey. respectively), and 1 in 2 multiracial • About 4% of women and 1.3% non-Hispanic women (53.8%) of men were stalked in the 12 Implications for have experienced rape, physical months prior to taking the survey. Prevention violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. • An estimated 1 in 17 women The findings in this report under- and 1 in 20 men (5.9% and 5.0%, • Nearly half (45.3%) of American score the heavy toll that sexual respectively) experienced rape, Indian or Alaska Native men and violence, stalking, and intimate physical violence, and/or stalking almost 4 out of every 10 Black partner violence places on women, by an intimate partner in the 12 and multiracial men (38.6% and men, and children in the United months prior to taking the survey. 39.3%, respectively) experienced States. Violence often begins at 4 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey | 2010 Summary Report | Executive Summary

an early age and commonly leads and access needed services and by providing policymakers much to negative health consequences resources in the short and long term. needed information for enhancing across the lifespan. Collective action One way to strengthen the response prevention efforts at the state level. is needed to implement prevention to survivors is through increased approaches, ensure appropriate training of healthcare professionals. Ongoing data collection and moni- responses, and support these efforts It is also critically important to toring of these problems through based on strong data and research. ensure that legal, housing, mental NISVS and other data sources at health, and other services and the local, state, and national level Prevention efforts should start early resources are available and acces- must lead to further research to by promoting healthy, respectful sible to survivors. develop and evaluate strategies relationships in by fostering to effectively prevent first-time healthy -child relation- An important part of any response perpetration of sexual violence, ships and developing positive to sexual violence, stalking, and stalking, and intimate partner dynamics and emotionally intimate partner violence is to hold violence. This research should focus supportive environments. These perpetrators accountable. Survivors on key gaps to address the social environments provide a strong foun- may be reluctant to disclose their and economic conditions (e.g., dation for children, help them to victimization for a variety of reasons poverty, , and other forms of adopt positive interactions based on including shame, , and social exclusion) respect and trust, and foster effective fear of retribution from perpetrators, that increase risk for perpetration and non-violent communication or a that they may not receive and victimization. This work should and conflict resolution in their peer support from law enforcement. be complemented with efforts to and relationships. It is equally Laws may also not be enforced monitor strategies being used by important to continue addressing adequately or consistently and the field, to identify and rigorously the beliefs, attitudes and messages perpetrators may become more evaluate these approaches and that are deeply embedded in our dangerous after their victims report document their value. As effective social structures and that create these . It is important to strategies are identified, research a climate that condones sexual enhance training efforts within the examining how to best disseminate, violence, stalking, and intimate criminal justice system to better implement, and adapt evidence- partner violence. For example, engage and support survivors and based prevention strategies, will this can be done through norms thus hold perpetrators accountable become increasingly important. change, changing policies and for their crimes. enforcing existing policies against Much progress has been made in violence, and promoting bystander Implementing strong data systems the prevention of violence. There approaches to prevent violence for the monitoring and evaluation is strong reason to believe that the before it happens. of sexual violence, stalking, and application of effective strategies intimate partner violence is critical combined with the capacity to In addition to prevention efforts, to understand trends in these implement them will make a differ- survivors of sexual violence, stalking, problems, to provide information ence. The lessons already learned and intimate partner violence need on which to base development during public health’s short experi- coordinated services to ensure and evaluation of prevention and ence with violence prevention are healing and prevent recurrence intervention programs, and to consistent with those from public of victimization. The healthcare monitor and measure the effective- health’s much longer experience system’s response must be strength- ness of these efforts. Establishing with the prevention of infectious and ened and better coordinated for cost-efficient and timely chronic diseases. Sexual violence, both sexual violence and intimate systems for all states, by using stalking, and intimate partner partner violence survivors to help consistent definitions and uniform violence can be prevented with navigate the health care system survey methods, will assist states data-driven, collaborative action.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Division of Violence Prevention

4770 Buford Highway NE, MS-F64 Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3742 www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention