GITNUXREPORT 2026

Abuse Statistics

Staggering statistics reveal widespread abuse against children, partners, elders, and victims of assault.

138 statistics5 sections9 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In 2022, U.S. child protective services received 3.1 million reports alleging child maltreatment, involving approximately 5.5 million children.

Statistic 2

Approximately 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States in 2021, with 74.9% of victims under age 3.

Statistic 3

In FFY 2021, 52.3% of child victims experienced neglect, 10.9% physical abuse, and 8.1% sexual abuse.

Statistic 4

American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest victimization rate at 15.3 per 1,000 children in 2021.

Statistic 5

From 2017-2021, child fatalities from maltreatment averaged 1,736 per year, with 70% perpetrated by one or both parents.

Statistic 6

In 2020, 618,399 children were confirmed victims of maltreatment by CPS.

Statistic 7

Boys accounted for 48.4% of child victims, girls 51.1% in 2021.

Statistic 8

17.6 children per 1,000 U.S. children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2021.

Statistic 9

Mothers acting alone were perpetrators in 20.6% of fatal child maltreatment cases in 2021.

Statistic 10

In 2021, 91,310 children were placed in foster care due to maltreatment.

Statistic 11

Sexual abuse victimization rate was highest for girls at 9.9 per 1,000 in 2021.

Statistic 12

Non-Hispanic Black children had a victimization rate of 13.2 per 1,000 in 2021.

Statistic 13

1 in 7 children in the U.S. experience child abuse or neglect annually.

Statistic 14

Child maltreatment cost the U.S. $428 billion in 2018, including $119 billion in child welfare services.

Statistic 15

78.3% of child maltreatment victims were harmed by their parents in 2021.

Statistic 16

Infants under 1 year had the highest victimization rate at 25.3 per 1,000 in 2021.

Statistic 17

18.3% of child victims received post-response services in 2021.

Statistic 18

Physical abuse was the cause in 31.5% of child maltreatment fatalities in 2021.

Statistic 19

Multiple maltreatments affected 15.4% of victims in 2021.

Statistic 20

44 states reported near-fatality data, with 1,020 near-fatalities in 2021.

Statistic 21

Child neglect rates were highest for children aged 0-1 at 16.2 per 1,000.

Statistic 22

1,790 children died from abuse in 2020, down from previous years due to reporting changes.

Statistic 23

Perpetrators aged 25-34 accounted for 31.3% of maltreatment cases in 2021.

Statistic 24

8.4 million children were screened in by CPS in 2021.

Statistic 25

Hispanic children had a victimization rate of 7.6 per 1,000 in 2021.

Statistic 26

Medical neglect affected 1.0% of victims but 11.4% of fatalities in 2021.

Statistic 27

37.9% of victims were 0-5 years old in 2021.

Statistic 28

Nonparental caregivers perpetrated 15.2% of maltreatment.

Statistic 29

Repeat maltreatment affected 5.9% of victims within 6 months.

Statistic 30

588,229 children received a CPS response in 2021.

Statistic 31

In 2022, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

Statistic 32

Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is 47.3% for women and 44.1% for men in the U.S.

Statistic 33

In 2021, 12% of women and 12% of men reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.

Statistic 34

Nearly 1 in 10 women in the U.S. (9.2%) reported being raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Statistic 35

IPV results in more than 10 million people affected in the U.S. each year.

Statistic 36

41% of all women killed by an intimate partner were killed with a firearm in 2020.

Statistic 37

Black women are 2.5 times more likely to be murdered by intimate partners than white women.

Statistic 38

48% of female homicide victims from 2003-2014 were killed by a current or former intimate partner.

Statistic 39

In 2020, there were over 20,000 domestic violence incidents reported to police in England and Wales.

Statistic 40

1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.

Statistic 41

Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.

Statistic 42

27% of women aged 15-49 who have been in a relationship report physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner.

Statistic 43

In the U.S., 1 in 15 women and 1 in 150 men are beaten by a partner each year.

Statistic 44

94% of IPV physical assaults reported to police involved female victims and male offenders.

Statistic 45

Economic abuse affects 99% of domestic violence cases.

Statistic 46

85% of domestic violence victims are women.

Statistic 47

Teen dating violence affects 1 in 11 high school students.

Statistic 48

50% of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.

Statistic 49

IPV during pregnancy increases miscarriage risk by 3.5 times.

Statistic 50

1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape by an intimate partner.

Statistic 51

Male victims of IPV are less likely to report, with only 1 in 7 seeking help.

Statistic 52

Stalking by an intimate partner affects 9.2% of women lifetime.

Statistic 53

Psychological aggression by partner reported by 48.4% of women and 48.8% of men.

Statistic 54

IPV costs the U.S. $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care.

Statistic 55

60% of family homicides involve intimate partner violence.

Statistic 56

1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Statistic 57

In 2021, adults aged 60+ experienced elder abuse at rates of 1 in 10 in the U.S.

Statistic 58

Approximately 1 in 6 older adults in the community experienced some form of abuse in the past year.

Statistic 59

Elder financial exploitation affects 1 in 20 older adults annually.

Statistic 60

10% of people aged 65+ have experienced some form of elder abuse globally.

Statistic 61

In 2020, 1,637 elder abuse cases were substantiated by APS in some states.

Statistic 62

Women are more likely to experience emotional abuse (58%) than men (48%) in later life.

Statistic 63

60% of perpetrators of elder abuse are family members.

Statistic 64

Nursing home residents experience abuse at rates up to 1 in 6.

Statistic 65

Financial abuse losses exceed $36.5 billion annually in the U.S. for elders.

Statistic 66

12.7% of older adults reported psychological abuse in the past year.

Statistic 67

Physical abuse affects 1.6% of community-dwelling elders.

Statistic 68

Sexual abuse in elders reported in 0.7% of cases but underreported.

Statistic 69

Neglect constitutes 58.5% of substantiated elder maltreatment reports.

Statistic 70

1 in 10 elders with cognitive impairment experience higher abuse rates.

Statistic 71

APS received 877,393 elder abuse reports in FFY 2021.

Statistic 72

Men aged 60+ experience physical abuse at 4.1% prevalence.

Statistic 73

Elder abuse triples mortality risk within 1 year post-report.

Statistic 74

Financial exploitation victims lose average $9,000-$36,000 per incident.

Statistic 75

15.7% of elders report financial mistreatment by family.

Statistic 76

Self-neglect accounts for 44% of APS elder cases.

Statistic 77

Black elders experience abuse at 11.6% rate vs. 7.9% white.

Statistic 78

80% of elder abuse goes unreported.

Statistic 79

Caregivers providing 40+ hours/week have 41.8% abuse risk.

Statistic 80

Elder homicide rate is 1.4 per 100,000 for 65+.

Statistic 81

5.4% of elders experienced physical violence in past year.

Statistic 82

Abandonment reported in 1.1% of elder maltreatment cases.

Statistic 83

Elder abuse victims are 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized.

Statistic 84

In the U.S., 1 in 6 women have experienced attempted or completed rape.

Statistic 85

Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.

Statistic 86

91% of child sexual abuse victims are girls.

Statistic 87

1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse.

Statistic 88

82% of juvenile victims are female; 90% of adult rape victims are female.

Statistic 89

21% of U.S. women have been raped; 47% experienced other sexual violence.

Statistic 90

Only 31% of sexual assaults are reported to police.

Statistic 91

Perpetrators are known to 80% of sexual assault victims.

Statistic 92

College women: 1 in 5 experience sexual assault.

Statistic 93

96% of child sexual abusers are male.

Statistic 94

Male victims: 1 in 33 have experienced attempted or completed rape.

Statistic 95

50% of sexual assault survivors develop PTSD.

Statistic 96

Globally, 120 million girls under 20 (1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse.

Statistic 97

35% of women worldwide experienced physical/sexual IPV or non-partner sexual violence.

Statistic 98

Child sexual abuse linked to 55% of mental illness in adult females.

Statistic 99

94% of reported child sexual abuse perpetrators are male.

Statistic 100

Sexual violence costs U.S. $127 billion annually.

Statistic 101

2/3 of assaults occur before age 25.

Statistic 102

Native American/Alaska Native women: 2.2x rape rate.

Statistic 103

Bisexual women: 46% lifetime rape victimization.

Statistic 104

70% of sexual assaults occur to girls 13-17.

Statistic 105

Incarcerated women: 57% lifetime rape.

Statistic 106

18% of sexual assault survivors contemplate suicide.

Statistic 107

Online sexual exploitation affects 1 in 7 children.

Statistic 108

40% of sexual abuse happens in family.

Statistic 109

Revictimization: 33% chance within 9 months.

Statistic 110

Drug-facilitated assault: 1 in 20 women.

Statistic 111

90% of campus rapes by acquaintances.

Statistic 112

In 2021, 24.6 million Americans aged 12+ had substance use disorder (SUD).

Statistic 113

46.2 million people aged 12+ used illicit drugs in 2021.

Statistic 114

Alcohol use disorder affected 29.5 million people in 2021.

Statistic 115

Opioid misuse: 5.6 million had opioid use disorder in 2021.

Statistic 116

107,941 drug overdose deaths in 2021, 80% involving opioids.

Statistic 117

70,601 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2021.

Statistic 118

Marijuana use past year: 52.5 million Americans aged 12+.

Statistic 119

6 million people misused prescription pain relievers in 2021.

Statistic 120

Binge drinking: 69.5 million past month in 2021.

Statistic 121

2.7 million adolescents aged 12-17 had past year SUD.

Statistic 122

Fentanyl involved in 71,238 overdose deaths in 2021.

Statistic 123

14.7 million adults had illicit drug use disorder in 2021.

Statistic 124

Heavy alcohol use: 17.2 million past month.

Statistic 125

Cocaine use disorder: 1.4 million in 2021.

Statistic 126

Methamphetamine use past year: 2.5 million.

Statistic 127

9.2% of adults aged 18+ had SUD in 2021.

Statistic 128

Nicotine dependence: 29.1 million adults.

Statistic 129

Heroin use disorder: 828,000 in 2021.

Statistic 130

Polysubstance use: 3 million with both alcohol and illicit drug SUD.

Statistic 131

Youth past month alcohol use: 4.7 million aged 12-17.

Statistic 132

Overdose death rate 32.4 per 100,000 in 2021.

Statistic 133

Stimulant overdose deaths tripled from 2015-2021.

Statistic 134

40.3 million current tobacco users aged 12+.

Statistic 135

Hallucinogen use past year: 3.2 million.

Statistic 136

Treatment need unmet: 94.2% of those with SUD did not receive treatment.

Statistic 137

Inhalant use disorder rare but 247,000 past year users.

Statistic 138

Sedative misuse: 1.7 million past year.

Sources
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Felix Zimmermann

Written by Felix Zimmermann·Edited by Christopher Morgan·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified Apr 19, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

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

1In 2022, U.S. child protective services received 3.1 million reports alleging child maltreatment, involving approximately 5.5 million children.
Single source
2Approximately 1,750 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States in 2021, with 74.9% of victims under age 3.
Verified
3In FFY 2021, 52.3% of child victims experienced neglect, 10.9% physical abuse, and 8.1% sexual abuse.
Verified
4American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest victimization rate at 15.3 per 1,000 children in 2021.
Single source
5From 2017-2021, child fatalities from maltreatment averaged 1,736 per year, with 70% perpetrated by one or both parents.
Single source
6In 2020, 618,399 children were confirmed victims of maltreatment by CPS.
Verified
7Boys accounted for 48.4% of child victims, girls 51.1% in 2021.
Verified
817.6 children per 1,000 U.S. children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2021.
Single source
9Mothers acting alone were perpetrators in 20.6% of fatal child maltreatment cases in 2021.
Verified
10In 2021, 91,310 children were placed in foster care due to maltreatment.
Directional
11Sexual abuse victimization rate was highest for girls at 9.9 per 1,000 in 2021.
Directional
12Non-Hispanic Black children had a victimization rate of 13.2 per 1,000 in 2021.
Verified
131 in 7 children in the U.S. experience child abuse or neglect annually.
Directional
14Child maltreatment cost the U.S. $428 billion in 2018, including $119 billion in child welfare services.
Single source
1578.3% of child maltreatment victims were harmed by their parents in 2021.
Single source
16Infants under 1 year had the highest victimization rate at 25.3 per 1,000 in 2021.
Verified
1718.3% of child victims received post-response services in 2021.
Directional
18Physical abuse was the cause in 31.5% of child maltreatment fatalities in 2021.
Verified
19Multiple maltreatments affected 15.4% of victims in 2021.
Directional
2044 states reported near-fatality data, with 1,020 near-fatalities in 2021.
Directional
21Child neglect rates were highest for children aged 0-1 at 16.2 per 1,000.
Verified
221,790 children died from abuse in 2020, down from previous years due to reporting changes.
Verified
23Perpetrators aged 25-34 accounted for 31.3% of maltreatment cases in 2021.
Directional
248.4 million children were screened in by CPS in 2021.
Directional
25Hispanic children had a victimization rate of 7.6 per 1,000 in 2021.
Verified
26Medical neglect affected 1.0% of victims but 11.4% of fatalities in 2021.
Verified
2737.9% of victims were 0-5 years old in 2021.
Verified
28Nonparental caregivers perpetrated 15.2% of maltreatment.
Verified
29Repeat maltreatment affected 5.9% of victims within 6 months.
Directional
30588,229 children received a CPS response in 2021.
Verified

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

1In 2022, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.
Verified
2Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is 47.3% for women and 44.1% for men in the U.S.
Verified
3In 2021, 12% of women and 12% of men reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.
Verified
4Nearly 1 in 10 women in the U.S. (9.2%) reported being raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Directional
5IPV results in more than 10 million people affected in the U.S. each year.
Single source
641% of all women killed by an intimate partner were killed with a firearm in 2020.
Verified
7Black women are 2.5 times more likely to be murdered by intimate partners than white women.
Single source
848% of female homicide victims from 2003-2014 were killed by a current or former intimate partner.
Directional
9In 2020, there were over 20,000 domestic violence incidents reported to police in England and Wales.
Directional
101 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
Verified
11Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.
Verified
1227% of women aged 15-49 who have been in a relationship report physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
Single source
13In the U.S., 1 in 15 women and 1 in 150 men are beaten by a partner each year.
Single source
1494% of IPV physical assaults reported to police involved female victims and male offenders.
Directional
15Economic abuse affects 99% of domestic violence cases.
Directional
1685% of domestic violence victims are women.
Single source
17Teen dating violence affects 1 in 11 high school students.
Verified
1850% of all homeless women and children in the U.S. are fleeing domestic violence.
Directional
19IPV during pregnancy increases miscarriage risk by 3.5 times.
Directional
201 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape by an intimate partner.
Single source
21Male victims of IPV are less likely to report, with only 1 in 7 seeking help.
Directional
22Stalking by an intimate partner affects 9.2% of women lifetime.
Single source
23Psychological aggression by partner reported by 48.4% of women and 48.8% of men.
Directional
24IPV costs the U.S. $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care.
Directional
2560% of family homicides involve intimate partner violence.
Single source
261 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Verified

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

1In 2021, adults aged 60+ experienced elder abuse at rates of 1 in 10 in the U.S.
Verified
2Approximately 1 in 6 older adults in the community experienced some form of abuse in the past year.
Directional
3Elder financial exploitation affects 1 in 20 older adults annually.
Single source
410% of people aged 65+ have experienced some form of elder abuse globally.
Single source
5In 2020, 1,637 elder abuse cases were substantiated by APS in some states.
Single source
6Women are more likely to experience emotional abuse (58%) than men (48%) in later life.
Directional
760% of perpetrators of elder abuse are family members.
Directional
8Nursing home residents experience abuse at rates up to 1 in 6.
Single source
9Financial abuse losses exceed $36.5 billion annually in the U.S. for elders.
Single source
1012.7% of older adults reported psychological abuse in the past year.
Directional
11Physical abuse affects 1.6% of community-dwelling elders.
Single source
12Sexual abuse in elders reported in 0.7% of cases but underreported.
Single source
13Neglect constitutes 58.5% of substantiated elder maltreatment reports.
Directional
141 in 10 elders with cognitive impairment experience higher abuse rates.
Verified
15APS received 877,393 elder abuse reports in FFY 2021.
Single source
16Men aged 60+ experience physical abuse at 4.1% prevalence.
Verified
17Elder abuse triples mortality risk within 1 year post-report.
Directional
18Financial exploitation victims lose average $9,000-$36,000 per incident.
Verified
1915.7% of elders report financial mistreatment by family.
Single source
20Self-neglect accounts for 44% of APS elder cases.
Single source
21Black elders experience abuse at 11.6% rate vs. 7.9% white.
Single source
2280% of elder abuse goes unreported.
Single source
23Caregivers providing 40+ hours/week have 41.8% abuse risk.
Directional
24Elder homicide rate is 1.4 per 100,000 for 65+.
Directional
255.4% of elders experienced physical violence in past year.
Directional
26Abandonment reported in 1.1% of elder maltreatment cases.
Verified
27Elder abuse victims are 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized.
Single source

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

1In the U.S., 1 in 6 women have experienced attempted or completed rape.
Single source
2Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
Verified
391% of child sexual abuse victims are girls.
Directional
41 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse.
Verified
582% of juvenile victims are female; 90% of adult rape victims are female.
Directional
621% of U.S. women have been raped; 47% experienced other sexual violence.
Verified
7Only 31% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
Verified
8Perpetrators are known to 80% of sexual assault victims.
Verified
9College women: 1 in 5 experience sexual assault.
Verified
1096% of child sexual abusers are male.
Directional
11Male victims: 1 in 33 have experienced attempted or completed rape.
Directional
1250% of sexual assault survivors develop PTSD.
Verified
13Globally, 120 million girls under 20 (1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse.
Verified
1435% of women worldwide experienced physical/sexual IPV or non-partner sexual violence.
Single source
15Child sexual abuse linked to 55% of mental illness in adult females.
Directional
1694% of reported child sexual abuse perpetrators are male.
Verified
17Sexual violence costs U.S. $127 billion annually.
Verified
182/3 of assaults occur before age 25.
Directional
19Native American/Alaska Native women: 2.2x rape rate.
Single source
20Bisexual women: 46% lifetime rape victimization.
Directional
2170% of sexual assaults occur to girls 13-17.
Directional
22Incarcerated women: 57% lifetime rape.
Single source
2318% of sexual assault survivors contemplate suicide.
Directional
24Online sexual exploitation affects 1 in 7 children.
Directional
2540% of sexual abuse happens in family.
Verified
26Revictimization: 33% chance within 9 months.
Single source
27Drug-facilitated assault: 1 in 20 women.
Directional
2890% of campus rapes by acquaintances.
Directional

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

1In 2021, 24.6 million Americans aged 12+ had substance use disorder (SUD).
Verified
246.2 million people aged 12+ used illicit drugs in 2021.
Verified
3Alcohol use disorder affected 29.5 million people in 2021.
Single source
4Opioid misuse: 5.6 million had opioid use disorder in 2021.
Single source
5107,941 drug overdose deaths in 2021, 80% involving opioids.
Verified
670,601 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2021.
Verified
7Marijuana use past year: 52.5 million Americans aged 12+.
Single source
86 million people misused prescription pain relievers in 2021.
Single source
9Binge drinking: 69.5 million past month in 2021.
Verified
102.7 million adolescents aged 12-17 had past year SUD.
Single source
11Fentanyl involved in 71,238 overdose deaths in 2021.
Directional
1214.7 million adults had illicit drug use disorder in 2021.
Verified
13Heavy alcohol use: 17.2 million past month.
Single source
14Cocaine use disorder: 1.4 million in 2021.
Verified
15Methamphetamine use past year: 2.5 million.
Verified
169.2% of adults aged 18+ had SUD in 2021.
Directional
17Nicotine dependence: 29.1 million adults.
Single source
18Heroin use disorder: 828,000 in 2021.
Directional
19Polysubstance use: 3 million with both alcohol and illicit drug SUD.
Verified
20Youth past month alcohol use: 4.7 million aged 12-17.
Single source
21Overdose death rate 32.4 per 100,000 in 2021.
Directional
22Stimulant overdose deaths tripled from 2015-2021.
Verified
2340.3 million current tobacco users aged 12+.
Verified
24Hallucinogen use past year: 3.2 million.
Directional
25Treatment need unmet: 94.2% of those with SUD did not receive treatment.
Single source
26Inhalant use disorder rare but 247,000 past year users.
Verified
27Sedative misuse: 1.7 million past year.
Directional

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.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Abuse Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abuse-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Abuse Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/abuse-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Abuse Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abuse-statistics.