Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey
1 IN 4 WOMEN, 1 IN 9 MEN IN UNITED STATES ARE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES
In households with incomes under $15,000 per year, 35.5% of women and 20.7% of men suffered violence from an intimate partner.
43% of women and 26% of men in multiracial non-Hispanic households suffered partner violence.
39% of women and 18.6% of men in American Indian/Alaska Native households suffered partner violence.
26.8% of women and 15.5% of men in white non-Hispanic households suffered partner violence.
29.2% of women and 23.3% of men in black non-Hispanic households suffered partner violence.
20.5% of women and 15.5% of men in Hispanic households suffered partner violence.
CDC Adverse Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence
Each year, IPV results in an estimated 1,200 deaths and 2 million injuries among women and nearly 600,000 injuries among men.
23.6% of women and 11.5% of men aged 18 years or more have a lifetime history of intimate partner violence victimization.
Highest percentage for women is adults aged 45-54 (31.2%)
Highest percentage for men is adults aged 25-34 (21.4%)
General Statistics
On the average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends every day.
92% of women say that reducing domestic violence and sexual assault should be at the top of any formal efforts taken on behalf of women today.
1 out of 3 women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
1 in 5 female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. Abused girls are significantly more likely to get involved in other risky behaviors. They are 4 to 6 times more likely to get pregnant and 8 to 9 times more likely to have tried to commit suicide.
1 in 3 teens report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, slapped, choked or physically hurt by his/her partner.
As many as 324,000 women each year experience intimate partner violence during their pregnancy.
Violence against women costs companies $72.8 million annually due to lost productivity.
Ninety-four percent of the offenders in murder-suicides were male.
Seventy-four percent of all murder-suicides involved an intimate partner(spouse, common-law spouse, ex-spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend). Of these, 96 percent were females killed by their intimate partners.
Most murder-suicides with three or more victims involved a "family annihilator" -- a subcategory of intimate partner murder-suicide. Family annihilators are murderers who kill not only their wives/girlfriends and children, but often other family members as well, before killing themselves.
Seventy-five percent of murder-suicides occurred in the home.
The National Domestic Violence: Abusive Relationship Test
Embarrasses you with put-downs?
Looks at you or act in ways that scare you?
Controls what you do, who you see or talk to or where you go?
Stops you from seeing your friends or family members?
Takes your money or Social Security check, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money?
Makes all of the decisions?
Tells you that you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
Prevents you from working or attending school?
Acts like the abuse is no big deal, it’s your fault, or even deny doing it?
Destroys your property or threaten to kill your pets?
Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
Shoves you, slaps you, chokes you, or hits you?
Forces you to try and drop charges?
Threatens to commit suicide?
Threatens to kill you?
If you answered 'yes' to even one of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship. For support and more information please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799 SAFE (7233) or at TTY 1-800-787-3224.
Memphis Area Domestic Violence-Related Charities
Sophia’s HouseAssociated Catholic Charitieshttp://www.accinwesttn.org/
(901) 728-4229, Angela at Sophia’s House (901) 722-4700, Associated Catholic Charities
A local charity whose goals include:
Providing emergency, long-term housing for victims and their children
Rehabilitating victims to prevent future abusive relationships
Counseling victims who also have drug or alcohol-related issues
YWCA of Memphis http://www.ymcamemphis.org/
(901) 323-2211 (901) 725-4277 Crisis Hotline
A local arm of the national YWCA whose goals include:
Empowering women and eliminating racism through Christian values
Providing services to thousands of local domestic violence victims (women, children) including counseling, food, court advocacy, and shelter
Vday http://www.vday.org/
(212) 645-8329 (510) 841-4025
A national and global grass-roots effort whose goals include:
Educating the public to stop violence against women and girls
Raising awareness of and money for domestic violence programs
already in place with new and/or refurbished events
Teaching through testimonials and other media by Eve Ensler
from her global interviews with victims from different cultures
The Exchange Club Family Center http://www.exchangeclub.net/
(901) 726-2200 24-hour hotline
A local organization whose goals include:
Educating the public to end family violence
Monitoring protective family visitations for families in recovery or crisis
CAAP, Cocaine and Alcohol Awareness Program
http://www.caapincorporated.com/
(901) 794-0915 (901) 272-2221 Domestic Violence Hotline
A local organization whose goals include:
Providing a variety of behavioral health services to a diverse client base
Providing a 24-hour crisis center and counseling services
Advocating victims’ rights
2 comments:
As the mother of a daughter who died at age 28, while in a DV relationship, I have recently formed Fix the Hurt Corp, a non-profit agency, dedicated to prevention and education. See www.fixthehurtpag.org. We have produced an amazing musical, Domestic Violence, The Musical? which has proven to be an effective, entertaining and informative way to teach prevention.
There is also an emerging link between relationship abuse and women's reproductive health issues.
For instance, 40% of pregnant women who have been exposed to abuse report that their pregnancy was unintended, compared to just eight percent of non-abused women.
Women disclosing physical violence are nearly three times more likely to experience a sexually transmitted infection.
Women are taking action and sharing their stories at www.knowmoresaymore.org
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