Did You Know?

Worldwide, a woman is battered by an intimate partner every 15 seconds. That’s approximately 5,760 battered women every single day.

1 out of every 4 women will experience some form of domestic violence in her lifetime.

Women and girls are more likely to be killed by male partners than any other class of individuals.

Police in Delaware respond to over 75 domestic violence calls each day.

The cost of domestic violence to the US economy is more than $8.3 billion. This cost includes medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity.

Approximately 8.8 million children witness domestic violence every year. Of men who abuse women, 40-60% abuse children as well.

The prevalence of domestic violence among Gay and Lesbian couples is approximately 25 - 33%.

Each year, an estimated 3.3 million children are exposed to violence by family members against their mothers or female caretakers.

During the six months following an episode of domestic violence, 32% of battered women are victimized again. Short term (6-12 week) psycho-educational batterer-intervention programs helped some batterers stop immediate physical violence but were inadequate in stopping abuse over time.

Obstacles faced by battered immigrant women include: a distrust of the legal system arising from their experiences with the system in their native countries; cultural and language barriers; and fear of deportation.

15 - 50% of abused women report interference from their partner with education, training or work.

Abused (past or current) welfare recipients experience higher levels of health or mental health problems such as a physical disability, or serious or acute depression.

Immigrant women may suffer higher rates of battering than U.S. citizens because they come from cultures which accept domestic violence.

A battered woman who is not a legal resident, or whose immigration status depends on her partner, is isolated by cultural dynamics which may prevent her from leaving her husband or seeking assistance from the legal system.

Many battered Gays or Lesbians fight back to defend themselves - it is a myth that same-sex battering is mutual.

Seven states define domestic violence in a way that excludes same-sex victims; 21 states have sodomy laws that may require same-sex victims to confess to a crime in order to prove they are in a domestic relationship.

The chance of being victimized by an intimate partner is 10 times greater for a woman than a man.

Women are seven to 14 times more likely than men to report suffering severe assaults from an intimate partner.

26% of pregnant teens reported being physically abused by their boyfriends. About half of them said the battering began or intensified after he learned of her pregnancy.

Approximately 50% of female victims of domestic violence live in households with children under age 12.

Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.