Behind every staggering statistic—from the 3.1 million reports of child maltreatment to the 1 in 3 women facing violence worldwide—lies a devastating human story, revealing an epidemic of abuse that fractures lives across every age and community.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. child protective services received 3.1 million reports alleging child maltreatment, involving approximately 5.5 million children.
- Approximately 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States in 2021, with 74.9% of victims under age 3.
- In FFY 2021, 52.3% of child victims experienced neglect, 10.9% physical abuse, and 8.1% sexual abuse.
- In 2022, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.
- Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is 47.3% for women and 44.1% for men in the U.S.
- In 2021, 12% of women and 12% of men reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
- In 2021, adults aged 60+ experienced elder abuse at rates of 1 in 10 in the U.S.
- Approximately 1 in 6 older adults in the community experienced some form of abuse in the past year.
- Elder financial exploitation affects 1 in 20 older adults annually.
- In the U.S., 1 in 6 women have experienced attempted or completed rape.
- Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
- 91% of child sexual abuse victims are girls.
- In 2021, 24.6 million Americans aged 12+ had substance use disorder (SUD).
- 46.2 million people aged 12+ used illicit drugs in 2021.
- Alcohol use disorder affected 29.5 million people in 2021.
Staggering statistics reveal widespread abuse against children, partners, elders, and victims of assault.
Child Abuse
- In 2022, U.S. child protective services received 3.1 million reports alleging child maltreatment, involving approximately 5.5 million children.
- Approximately 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States in 2021, with 74.9% of victims under age 3.
- In FFY 2021, 52.3% of child victims experienced neglect, 10.9% physical abuse, and 8.1% sexual abuse.
- American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest victimization rate at 15.3 per 1,000 children in 2021.
- From 2017-2021, child fatalities from maltreatment averaged 1,736 per year, with 70% perpetrated by one or both parents.
- In 2020, 618,399 children were confirmed victims of maltreatment by CPS.
- Boys accounted for 48.4% of child victims, girls 51.1% in 2021.
- 17.6 children per 1,000 U.S. children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2021.
- Mothers acting alone were perpetrators in 20.6% of fatal child maltreatment cases in 2021.
- In 2021, 91,310 children were placed in foster care due to maltreatment.
- Sexual abuse victimization rate was highest for girls at 9.9 per 1,000 in 2021.
- Non-Hispanic Black children had a victimization rate of 13.2 per 1,000 in 2021.
- 1 in 7 children in the U.S. experience child abuse or neglect annually.
- Child maltreatment cost the U.S. $428 billion in 2018, including $119 billion in child welfare services.
- 78.3% of child maltreatment victims were harmed by their parents in 2021.
- Infants under 1 year had the highest victimization rate at 25.3 per 1,000 in 2021.
- 18.3% of child victims received post-response services in 2021.
- Physical abuse was the cause in 31.5% of child maltreatment fatalities in 2021.
- Multiple maltreatments affected 15.4% of victims in 2021.
- 44 states reported near-fatality data, with 1,020 near-fatalities in 2021.
- Child neglect rates were highest for children aged 0-1 at 16.2 per 1,000.
- 1,790 children died from abuse in 2020, down from previous years due to reporting changes.
- Perpetrators aged 25-34 accounted for 31.3% of maltreatment cases in 2021.
- 8.4 million children were screened in by CPS in 2021.
- Hispanic children had a victimization rate of 7.6 per 1,000 in 2021.
- Medical neglect affected 1.0% of victims but 11.4% of fatalities in 2021.
- 37.9% of victims were 0-5 years old in 2021.
- Nonparental caregivers perpetrated 15.2% of maltreatment.
- Repeat maltreatment affected 5.9% of victims within 6 months.
- 588,229 children received a CPS response in 2021.
Child Abuse Interpretation
The grim arithmetic of American childhood paints a picture where 5.5 million reported children are a national emergency, 1,750 dead toddlers are an avoidable tragedy, and a half-trillion dollar price tag is the cost of our collective failure to protect them.
Domestic Abuse
- In 2022, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.
- Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is 47.3% for women and 44.1% for men in the U.S.
- In 2021, 12% of women and 12% of men reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
- Nearly 1 in 10 women in the U.S. (9.2%) reported being raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- IPV results in more than 10 million people affected in the U.S. each year.
- 41% of all women killed by an intimate partner were killed with a firearm in 2020.
- Black women are 2.5 times more likely to be murdered by intimate partners than white women.
- 48% of female homicide victims from 2003-2014 were killed by a current or former intimate partner.
- In 2020, there were over 20,000 domestic violence incidents reported to police in England and Wales.
- 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
- Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.
- 27% of women aged 15-49 who have been in a relationship report physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
- In the U.S., 1 in 15 women and 1 in 150 men are beaten by a partner each year.
- 94% of IPV physical assaults reported to police involved female victims and male offenders.
- Economic abuse affects 99% of domestic violence cases.
- 85% of domestic violence victims are women.
- Teen dating violence affects 1 in 11 high school students.
- 50% of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.
- IPV during pregnancy increases miscarriage risk by 3.5 times.
- 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape by an intimate partner.
- Male victims of IPV are less likely to report, with only 1 in 7 seeking help.
- Stalking by an intimate partner affects 9.2% of women lifetime.
- Psychological aggression by partner reported by 48.4% of women and 48.8% of men.
- IPV costs the U.S. $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care.
- 60% of family homicides involve intimate partner violence.
- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Domestic Abuse Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of intimacy betrayed, revealing a global epidemic of trust weaponized into physical, sexual, and psychological terror that spares no demographic yet disproportionately devastates women's lives, safety, and autonomy.
Elder Abuse
- In 2021, adults aged 60+ experienced elder abuse at rates of 1 in 10 in the U.S.
- Approximately 1 in 6 older adults in the community experienced some form of abuse in the past year.
- Elder financial exploitation affects 1 in 20 older adults annually.
- 10% of people aged 65+ have experienced some form of elder abuse globally.
- In 2020, 1,637 elder abuse cases were substantiated by APS in some states.
- Women are more likely to experience emotional abuse (58%) than men (48%) in later life.
- 60% of perpetrators of elder abuse are family members.
- Nursing home residents experience abuse at rates up to 1 in 6.
- Financial abuse losses exceed $36.5 billion annually in the U.S. for elders.
- 12.7% of older adults reported psychological abuse in the past year.
- Physical abuse affects 1.6% of community-dwelling elders.
- Sexual abuse in elders reported in 0.7% of cases but underreported.
- Neglect constitutes 58.5% of substantiated elder maltreatment reports.
- 1 in 10 elders with cognitive impairment experience higher abuse rates.
- APS received 877,393 elder abuse reports in FFY 2021.
- Men aged 60+ experience physical abuse at 4.1% prevalence.
- Elder abuse triples mortality risk within 1 year post-report.
- Financial exploitation victims lose average $9,000-$36,000 per incident.
- 15.7% of elders report financial mistreatment by family.
- Self-neglect accounts for 44% of APS elder cases.
- Black elders experience abuse at 11.6% rate vs. 7.9% white.
- 80% of elder abuse goes unreported.
- Caregivers providing 40+ hours/week have 41.8% abuse risk.
- Elder homicide rate is 1.4 per 100,000 for 65+.
- 5.4% of elders experienced physical violence in past year.
- Abandonment reported in 1.1% of elder maltreatment cases.
- Elder abuse victims are 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized.
Elder Abuse Interpretation
If our treatment of the elderly were a bank statement, these statistics would be the alarming overdraft fees that reveal we're robbing them not just of their money, but of their dignity and safety, in a crime where the family home is often the scene and silence is the accomplice.
Sexual Abuse
- In the U.S., 1 in 6 women have experienced attempted or completed rape.
- Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
- 91% of child sexual abuse victims are girls.
- 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse.
- 82% of juvenile victims are female; 90% of adult rape victims are female.
- 21% of U.S. women have been raped; 47% experienced other sexual violence.
- Only 31% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
- Perpetrators are known to 80% of sexual assault victims.
- College women: 1 in 5 experience sexual assault.
- 96% of child sexual abusers are male.
- Male victims: 1 in 33 have experienced attempted or completed rape.
- 50% of sexual assault survivors develop PTSD.
- Globally, 120 million girls under 20 (1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse.
- 35% of women worldwide experienced physical/sexual IPV or non-partner sexual violence.
- Child sexual abuse linked to 55% of mental illness in adult females.
- 94% of reported child sexual abuse perpetrators are male.
- Sexual violence costs U.S. $127 billion annually.
- 2/3 of assaults occur before age 25.
- Native American/Alaska Native women: 2.2x rape rate.
- Bisexual women: 46% lifetime rape victimization.
- 70% of sexual assaults occur to girls 13-17.
- Incarcerated women: 57% lifetime rape.
- 18% of sexual assault survivors contemplate suicide.
- Online sexual exploitation affects 1 in 7 children.
- 40% of sexual abuse happens in family.
- Revictimization: 33% chance within 9 months.
- Drug-facilitated assault: 1 in 20 women.
- 90% of campus rapes by acquaintances.
Sexual Abuse Interpretation
While these statistics paint a grim portrait of a widespread, costly, and deeply traumatic epidemic disproportionately targeting women and girls, the fact that most perpetrators are known and trusted highlights the unsettling truth that our greatest threat often comes from within our own circles.
Substance Abuse
- In 2021, 24.6 million Americans aged 12+ had substance use disorder (SUD).
- 46.2 million people aged 12+ used illicit drugs in 2021.
- Alcohol use disorder affected 29.5 million people in 2021.
- Opioid misuse: 5.6 million had opioid use disorder in 2021.
- 107,941 drug overdose deaths in 2021, 80% involving opioids.
- 70,601 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2021.
- Marijuana use past year: 52.5 million Americans aged 12+.
- 6 million people misused prescription pain relievers in 2021.
- Binge drinking: 69.5 million past month in 2021.
- 2.7 million adolescents aged 12-17 had past year SUD.
- Fentanyl involved in 71,238 overdose deaths in 2021.
- 14.7 million adults had illicit drug use disorder in 2021.
- Heavy alcohol use: 17.2 million past month.
- Cocaine use disorder: 1.4 million in 2021.
- Methamphetamine use past year: 2.5 million.
- 9.2% of adults aged 18+ had SUD in 2021.
- Nicotine dependence: 29.1 million adults.
- Heroin use disorder: 828,000 in 2021.
- Polysubstance use: 3 million with both alcohol and illicit drug SUD.
- Youth past month alcohol use: 4.7 million aged 12-17.
- Overdose death rate 32.4 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Stimulant overdose deaths tripled from 2015-2021.
- 40.3 million current tobacco users aged 12+.
- Hallucinogen use past year: 3.2 million.
- Treatment need unmet: 94.2% of those with SUD did not receive treatment.
- Inhalant use disorder rare but 247,000 past year users.
- Sedative misuse: 1.7 million past year.
Substance Abuse Interpretation
Behind these cold, staggering numbers lies a nation feverishly self-medicating, where the desperate pursuit of relief has itself become a devastating epidemic, screaming for a healthcare response that remains catastrophically out of reach.
Sources & References
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