Abuse in relationships affects people across genders, ages, and sexual orientations, with patterns that influence risk, severity, and long-term impact. It can include physical, sexual, emotional, economic abuse, and coercive control—whether it leads to injuries, PTSD, depression, or fear. The page also explores why abuse often goes unreported and how factors like disability, race, and age can increase vulnerability, including for children exposed to IPV.
Key Takeaways
- 25% of victims suffer PTSD from IPV
- IPV victims have 1.5-2x higher depression risk
- 37% of IPV victims experience injuries requiring medical attention
- 70% of men who abuse their partners also abuse their children
- 80-90% of abusers exhibit jealousy and possessiveness
- Male perpetrators account for 85% of reported IPV cases
- Approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as being injured, needing medical care, being off work or school, or fearing for their safety
- In the United States, more than 12 million women and men are victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner each year
- Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence against women is 30% globally
- Only 34% of IPV victims report to police
- 50 states have mandatory arrest policies for IPV
- Hotline calls increased 25% during COVID-19
- Physical abuse accounts for 20-30% of IPV incidents
- Emotional/psychological abuse affects 48% of women and 49% of men lifetime
- Sexual violence by intimate partner experienced by 18.3% of women
Intimate partner violence causes lifelong harm, with up to 37% needing medical care and children affected most.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consequences And Outcomes23 stats
01
25% of victims suffer PTSD from IPV
02
IPV victims have 1.5-2x higher depression risk
03
37% of IPV victims experience injuries requiring medical attention
04
Children exposed to IPV 3x more likely to be abused
05
IPV causes $8.3 billion annual medical costs in US
06
40-60% of battered women attempt suicide
07
Victims lose average 8 workdays per year
08
Alcohol dependence 3x higher among victims
09
85% of homeless women fleeing IPV
10
Long-term chronic pain in 45% of victims
11
50% increased cardiovascular disease risk
12
Poor academic performance in 70% exposed children
13
Victims 16% more likely to have stroke
14
20% of victims develop fibromyalgia
15
Intergenerational transmission in 30-60% cases
16
2x higher HIV risk from IPV
17
Anxiety disorders in 52% of victims
18
Economic losses up to $103 billion yearly
19
15-20% of maternal deaths from IPV
20
Children show 50% higher aggression rates
21
Victims have 30% higher healthcare utilization
22
Dissociative disorders in 25% long-term victims
23
40% of victims never seek help due to shame
Interpretation
Consequences And Outcomes Interpretation
Under the consequences and outcomes lens, intimate partner violence leaves deep and lasting harm, with 25% of victims developing PTSD, 37% needing medical attention for injuries, and 40 to 60% attempting suicide.
02 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics26 stats
01
70% of men who abuse their partners also abuse their children
02
80-90% of abusers exhibit jealousy and possessiveness
03
Male perpetrators account for 85% of reported IPV cases
04
Abusers often have low self-esteem and history of abuse (60-70%)
05
40% of perpetrators have substance abuse issues
06
Abusers use isolation tactics in 75% of cases
07
50% of male batterers grew up in homes with domestic violence
08
Perpetrators exhibit controlling behaviors in 98% of cases
09
30% of abusers are unemployed or underemployed
10
Abusers have higher rates of depression (40%)
11
25% of perpetrators have criminal histories beyond IPV
12
Male abusers average 6 prior arrests
13
60% of abusers deny responsibility, blaming the victim
14
Perpetrators often escalate violence during separation (75%)
15
Abusers score high on narcissism (50-70%)
16
35% of perpetrators have PTSD
17
Alcohol involved in 25-50% of IPV incidents
18
Abusers exhibit stalking in 41% of cases post-separation
19
90% of abusers minimize or deny violence
20
Perpetrators often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (55%)
21
High rates of animal cruelty among abusers (71%)
22
Abusers have poor impulse control (80%)
23
20% of perpetrators are women in mutual violence cases
24
Abusers cycle through tension-building, acute battering, honeymoon phases (80%)
25
65% of abusers experienced childhood trauma
26
Perpetrators use economic control in 99% of cases
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
For the Perpetrator Characteristics, the data suggests that male IPV is predominantly driven by possessive and jealous behavior, with 80 to 90% of abusers showing jealousy, 85% of reported cases involving male perpetrators, and 75% using isolation tactics.
03 · Category
Prevalence30 stats
01
Approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as being injured, needing medical care, being off work or school, or fearing for their safety
02
In the United States, more than 12 million women and men are victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner each year
03
Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence against women is 30% globally
04
About 41% of women and 26% of men in the US have experienced some form of coercive control by an intimate partner in their lifetime
05
In a 2022 survey, 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime
06
48.4% of women and 48.8% of men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
07
In the EU, 22% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a current or previous partner since age 15
08
Nearly half (47.3%) of U.S. women and 44.8% of men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner
09
In England and Wales, 1 in 4 women (5 million) and 1 in 6 to 1 in 7 men (2.7 million) will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime
10
Globally, up to 85% of women experience some form of emotional abuse in intimate relationships
11
10 million people in the US are affected by domestic violence annually
12
1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime
13
In Canada, 44% of women and 40% of men reported experiencing at least one form of IPV victimization
14
In Australia, 23% of women and 12% of men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner
15
In India, 35.6% of ever-married women have experienced spousal violence
16
In South Africa, 28% of women report lifetime physical or sexual IPV
17
In Brazil, 27.3% of women aged 15-49 experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence by an intimate partner
18
In the US, Black women experience IPV at a rate 35% higher than the national average
19
Hispanic women are victimized by IPV at rates 1.2 times higher than non-Hispanic white women
20
In the UK, 1.6 million women and 757,000 men experience domestic abuse annually
21
91.6% of homelessness among women is due to fleeing domestic violence
22
In the US, 15.5 million children are exposed to domestic violence each year
23
Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners
24
In the US, 1 in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend
25
35% of female homicides worldwide are committed by an intimate partner
26
In rural areas of the US, IPV rates are 20% higher than urban areas
27
Among US college women, 9% report IPV victimization in the past year
28
57% of Native American women experience IPV in their lifetime
29
In the military, 30% of female service members report IPV
30
24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the US
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Prevalence data shows intimate partner abuse is widespread, with around 30% of women experiencing it globally over their lifetime and in the US nearly 41% of women and 26% of men reporting some form of coercive control.
More related reading
04 · Category
Responses And Interventions21 stats
01
Only 34% of IPV victims report to police
02
50 states have mandatory arrest policies for IPV
03
Hotline calls increased 25% during COVID-19
04
Batterer intervention programs reduce recidivism by 33%
05
Protective orders issued in 80% of reported cases
06
Only 17% of victims receive counseling
07
UK has coercive control law since 2015, prosecutions up 30%
08
70% of shelters turned away due to capacity
09
Advocacy services reduce future violence by 50%
10
Risk assessment tools improve prediction by 40%
11
24% increase in gun removal laws effectiveness
12
Support groups aid 60% in leaving
13
Police response time averages 10 minutes
14
40 countries criminalized marital rape by 2023
15
Victim services funding $500 million annually US
16
75% of victims return to abuser 7 times average
17
Online safety planning used by 20% recently
18
Court-mandated therapy recidivism 40% lower
19
Community education reduces tolerance by 25%
20
911 calls for IPV 50% of total domestic calls
21
International helplines in 140 countries
Interpretation
Responses And Interventions Interpretation
Despite strong policy tools like protective orders in 80% of reported cases and batterer programs cutting recidivism by 33%, only 34% of IPV victims report to police and just 17% receive counseling, showing that the biggest intervention gap lies in getting help to victims early and consistently.
05 · Category
Types Of Abuse20 stats
01
Physical abuse accounts for 20-30% of IPV incidents
02
Emotional/psychological abuse affects 48% of women and 49% of men lifetime
03
Sexual violence by intimate partner experienced by 18.3% of women
04
Economic abuse reported in 98-99% of IPV cases
05
Stalking by partner affects 9.2% of women and 2.5% of men
06
Coercive control recognized as abuse form in 15% of severe cases
07
Digital abuse via technology in 23% of teens' relationships
08
Verbal abuse precedes physical in 70% of escalations
09
Reproductive coercion affects 10.5% of women
10
Isolation tactics used in 75% of abusive relationships
11
Gaslighting prevalent in 80% of psychological abuse cases
12
Financial sabotage in 94% of cases
13
Threats of harm to pets in 20% of cases
14
Cyberstalking in 34% of IPV cases
15
Physical assault with weapons in 5-10% of severe cases
16
Humiliation/public shaming in 60% emotional abuse
17
Forced sex while injured affects 12% of victims
18
Sleep deprivation as control in 25% cases
19
Medical abuse (denying care) in 15% cases
20
Property destruction in 30% physical abuse
Interpretation
Types Of Abuse Interpretation
Across the Types Of Abuse, economic abuse is present in 98 to 99 percent of IPV cases, far outpacing other categories like physical abuse at 20 to 30 percent, showing that multiple forms often overlap under a single relationship pattern.
06 · Category
Victim Demographics26 stats
01
Women aged 18-24 are at highest risk of IPV, with 13.8% prevalence
02
Black women experience IPV at 43.7% lifetime rate compared to 34.4% for white women
03
55% of LGBTQ+ individuals report experiencing IPV
04
Women with disabilities are 40% more likely to experience IPV
05
Low-income women experience IPV at twice the rate of high-income women
06
Pregnant women face 1.5 times higher risk of homicide from IPV
07
Hispanic women have a 39% lifetime IPV prevalence
08
Elderly women over 60 report 7.4% IPV prevalence
09
Transgender individuals experience IPV at rates up to 44%
10
Women in rural areas report 25% higher IPV rates
11
Immigrant women face IPV at 48% rate
12
Native American women have 2.2 times higher IPV victimization rates
13
Women with children under 12 are 1.7 times more likely to experience severe IPV
14
Bisexual women report 61.1% lifetime IPV
15
Men aged 18-24 have 11.5% past-year IPV prevalence
16
White men have 28.2% lifetime psychological aggression rate
17
Adolescents aged 11-14 experience dating violence at 10-15%
18
Women with mental health issues have 2-3 times higher IPV risk
19
Single mothers experience IPV at 25% rate
20
Asian women report lower but underreported 19% IPV rate
21
College-aged women (18-24) have 27% IPV prevalence
22
LGBTQ youth experience 2x higher dating violence rates
23
Women veterans report 36% IPV lifetime
24
Poor women have 3x higher severe IPV rates
25
Middle-aged women (35-49) peak at 14% annual IPV
26
50% of deaf women experience IPV
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
Across victim demographics, IPV risk is sharply uneven, with women aged 18–24 showing a 13.8% prevalence while Black women face a much higher 43.7% lifetime rate, and groups such as LGBTQ+ individuals and women with disabilities report even greater exposure at 55% and 40% more likely respectively.
report visual · Breakdown
Consequences of IPV for health and wellbeing
IPV is linked to widespread physical injuries and long-term mental health impacts.
50%
50% increased cardiovascular disease risk
50%
Children show 50% higher aggression rates
report visual · Key figures
Common perpetrator patterns in abuse cases
Across perpetrator characteristics, controlling, isolation, and denial/minimization behaviors are reported at very high rates.
99%
Perpetrators use economic control in 99% of cases
98%
Perpetrators exhibit controlling behaviors in 98% of cases
75%
Abusers use isolation tactics in 75% of cases
90%
90% of abusers minimize or deny violence
75%
Perpetrators often escalate violence during separation (75%)
report visual · Comparison
Prevalence of Severe Intimate Partner Violence
Severe intimate partner physical violence, contact sexual violence, and/or stalking affect a larger share of women than men.
In the United States, more than 12 million women and men are victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an i12
Approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact
1
1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime
1
report visual · Breakdown
Responses vs. Effective Interventions
While only a fraction of victims receive key services, several interventions show meaningful reductions in repeat violence or barriers to safety.
25%
Hotline calls increased 25% during COVID-19
75%
75% of victims return to abuser 7 times average
report visual · Key figures
Types of abuse in intimate partner violence
Different abuse forms vary widely in prevalence, from common psychological controls to less frequent—but serious—forms like sexual violence and weapon use.
-30%
Physical abuse accounts for 20-30% of IPV incidents
48%
Emotional/psychological abuse affects 48% of women and 49% of men lifetime
18.3%
Sexual violence by intimate partner experienced by 18.3% of women
-99%
Economic abuse reported in 98-99% of IPV cases
9.2%
Stalking by partner affects 9.2% of women and 2.5% of men
15%
Coercive control recognized as abuse form in 15% of severe cases
report visual · Key figures
Victim demographics: IPV prevalence and lifetime rates
Across demographics, IPV prevalence and lifetime rates vary substantially—particularly among Black women and LGBTQ+ individuals.
13.8%
Women aged 18-24 are at highest risk of IPV, with 13.8% prevalence
43.7%
Black women experience IPV at 43.7% lifetime rate compared to 34.4% for white women
55%
55% of LGBTQ+ individuals report experiencing IPV
40%
Women with disabilities are 40% more likely to experience IPV
1.5
Pregnant women face 1.5 times higher risk of homicide from IPV
39%
Hispanic women have a 39% lifetime IPV prevalence
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Abuse In Relationships Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abuse-in-relationships-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Abuse In Relationships Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/abuse-in-relationships-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Abuse In Relationships Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abuse-in-relationships-statistics.
Sources & references
57 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level