GITNUXREPORT 2026

Domestic Abuse Gender Statistics

While women are most often severely victimized, domestic abuse impacts both genders with complex dynamics.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

In the United States, women perpetrate 40% of intimate partner violence against men according to CDC NISVS data analysis

Statistic 2

In the UK, women commit 39% of domestic violence offenses recorded by police

Statistic 3

Meta-analysis shows women are perpetrators in 70% of non-reciprocal domestic violence cases

Statistic 4

In Australia, 40% of family violence perpetrators are female

Statistic 5

Women initiate physical violence in relationships at higher rates than men in young adults (28% vs 21%)

Statistic 6

In US college students, 52% of female students engaged in physical aggression against partners

Statistic 7

In Canada, women are 12% of those charged with criminal harassment (stalking) against partners

Statistic 8

British Crime Survey shows women equally likely as men to be perpetrators of domestic violence

Statistic 9

In Sweden, 17% of men reported violence from female partner vs 10% women from male

Statistic 10

Women use weapons in 82% of cases where severe violence occurs against male partners

Statistic 11

In US, 50% of male victims report female partner as sole perpetrator

Statistic 12

National Family Violence Surveys show women perpetrate 60% of child abuse when cohabiting

Statistic 13

In New Zealand, women were perpetrators in 45% of family violence deaths

Statistic 14

In US military, female soldiers perpetrate 71% of reported domestic assaults

Statistic 15

Women are more likely to throw objects or slap in domestic altercations per NCVS data

Statistic 16

In UK, 37.8% of domestic violence convictions are women

Statistic 17

Straus & Gelles study: women assault partners at rate of 4.8% vs 3.4% for men annually

Statistic 18

In partner violence homicides, 41% of victims are male killed by female partners

Statistic 19

Women perpetrate 45% of severe physical assaults in bidirectional violence

Statistic 20

In US, females commit 52% of spousal homicides

Statistic 21

In Australia, women charged with family violence offenses increased 55% from 2013-2018

Statistic 22

In Germany, women are 30% of suspects in partner violence cases

Statistic 23

In Italy, 40% of gender violence reports involve female perpetrators against men

Statistic 24

In France, 20% of domestic violence convictions are women

Statistic 25

In Spain, female perpetrators in 15% of monitored gender violence cases

Statistic 26

In Canada, women represent 18% of those convicted of uttering threats to partners

Statistic 27

In the United States, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime

Statistic 28

Approximately 47.3% of women in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime

Statistic 29

41% of women reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to the 2016-2017 NISVS

Statistic 30

In England and Wales, 5.7% of women were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023

Statistic 31

Women aged 16-24 experienced the highest rate of domestic abuse victimization at 7.7% in the UK for year ending March 2023

Statistic 32

In Australia, 23% of women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner since age 15

Statistic 33

1 in 6 women in the US have experienced stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime

Statistic 34

In Canada, 44% of women reported experiencing at least one form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime

Statistic 35

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reports that 22% of women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner

Statistic 36

In India, 31.1% of ever-married women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since marriage

Statistic 37

35% of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence

Statistic 38

In the US, black women experience intimate partner physical violence at a rate of 43.7% lifetime prevalence

Statistic 39

Hispanic women in the US report 34.4% lifetime prevalence of rape by an intimate partner

Statistic 40

In the UK, 1 in 5 women have experienced economic abuse by a partner

Statistic 41

10 million women in the US are victims of domestic violence each year

Statistic 42

Women are 5 times more likely to be injured during a domestic assault

Statistic 43

In France, 216,000 women were victims of domestic violence in 2022

Statistic 44

In Brazil, 27% of women aged 15+ have suffered physical violence by intimate partner

Statistic 45

In South Africa, 31% of women reported lifetime physical or sexual violence by partner

Statistic 46

In New Zealand, 33% of women have experienced psychological violence from a partner

Statistic 47

In the US, 48.4% of women experienced coercive control by an intimate partner

Statistic 48

In Sweden, 16% of women have been exposed to severe physical violence by a partner

Statistic 49

In Russia, 40% of women justify wife beating in some circumstances, correlating with higher victimization

Statistic 50

In Mexico, 43.4% of women have experienced some form of partner violence

Statistic 51

In Turkey, 38% of ever-married women experienced physical violence from husband

Statistic 52

In the Philippines, 23.8% of women aged 15-49 experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence by intimate partner

Statistic 53

In Nigeria, 30% of women have experienced physical violence from a partner

Statistic 54

In Kenya, 38% of women aged 15-49 reported physical violence by partner

Statistic 55

In Ethiopia, 69.8% of women believe a husband is justified in beating his wife, linked to higher abuse rates

Statistic 56

In the US, lesbian women experience intimate partner violence at 43.8% lifetime rate

Statistic 57

Domestic violence shows gender symmetry with 49% female and 51% male perpetration in community samples

Statistic 58

In US NISVS, lifetime psychological aggression is similar: 48.4% women vs 48.8% men victims

Statistic 59

UK Crime Survey: partner prevalence rates equal for men (4.4%) and women (4.2%) for any domestic abuse

Statistic 60

Archer's meta-analysis: no significant gender difference in perpetration rates (d=0.05)

Statistic 61

In bidirectional violence, which is 50% of cases, both genders perpetrate equally

Statistic 62

Canadian GSS: 7% women and 6% men report severe partner violence annually

Statistic 63

Australian HILDA survey: 11.5% men and 12.3% women report emotional abuse symmetry

Statistic 64

Straus: women self-report higher rates of perpetrating minor violence than men

Statistic 65

In US, severe violence victimization: women 23.6%, men 19.3%, close after injury adjustment

Statistic 66

Swedish study: 9% men and 7% women report severe physical violence victimization

Statistic 67

NCVS shows minor assaults symmetric, with women slightly higher initiation

Statistic 68

In EU survey, psychological violence affects 43% women and 28% men, but physical similar

Statistic 69

CTS studies across 32 nations show gender symmetry in partner aggression

Statistic 70

In US college samples, 30% women and 27% men perpetrate dating violence

Statistic 71

UK: equal numbers of male (400k) and female (400k) victims of partner abuse annually

Statistic 72

Whitaker study: 70% unidirectional violence by women against men

Statistic 73

In pregnancy violence, 49% bidirectional, symmetric perpetration

Statistic 74

New Zealand: similar rates of perpetration for men 9.3% and women 9.1% physical violence

Statistic 75

Italian ISTAT: bidirectional violence in 50% cases, equal gender roles

Statistic 76

German study: 12% women and 11% men report partner violence victimization

Statistic 77

In same-sex relationships, IPV rates higher than heterosexual, symmetric across genders

Statistic 78

In the United States, men are perpetrators in 75% of reported severe intimate partner homicides

Statistic 79

85% of domestic violence victims killed annually are women killed by male partners

Statistic 80

In the UK, men commit 80% of police-recorded domestic abuse offenses

Statistic 81

Men perpetrate 96% of mass killings in family settings

Statistic 82

In Australia, men are 88% of family violence perpetrators

Statistic 83

Male perpetrators use physical force 3 times more often than females in severe assaults

Statistic 84

In Canada, 83% of police-reported IPV victims are women assaulted by men

Statistic 85

WHO data: 38% of female homicides by intimate male partners globally

Statistic 86

In US, men perpetrate 92% of stalking against women

Statistic 87

In EU, 78% of women experiencing violence report male perpetrators

Statistic 88

Black men perpetrate IPV at 37.0% lifetime rate against partners

Statistic 89

In UK prisons, 25% of male inmates convicted of domestic violence offenses

Statistic 90

Men are 8 times more likely to be arrested for domestic violence

Statistic 91

In Sweden, men perpetrate 83% of severe partner violence

Statistic 92

In New Zealand, males are 75% of family court violence order respondents

Statistic 93

US men commit 70% of child abuse in homes with domestic violence

Statistic 94

In France, 90% of domestic violence filers are women against male partners

Statistic 95

Men use strangulation in 10% of female victim assaults vs 1% by women

Statistic 96

In Germany, 70% of partner homicide perpetrators are male

Statistic 97

In Brazil, 80% of femicide perpetrators are current or former male partners

Statistic 98

In South Africa, male partners perpetrate 55% of female homicides

Statistic 99

In India, 87% of married women experiencing violence cite husband as perpetrator

Statistic 100

In Russia, men commit 95% of domestic homicides

Statistic 101

In Mexico, 98% of gender violence aggressors are male

Statistic 102

In Philippines, 78% of women report male intimate partner as violence perpetrator

Statistic 103

In the United States, 1 in 7 men (14.0%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime

Statistic 104

28.5% of men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner lifetime

Statistic 105

In the UK, 3.3% of men were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023

Statistic 106

Men aged 25-34 had a domestic abuse victimization rate of 4.2% in England and Wales year ending March 2023

Statistic 107

In Australia, 12% of men have experienced emotional abuse by a partner since age 15

Statistic 108

1 in 45 men in the US have experienced stalking by an intimate partner lifetime

Statistic 109

In Canada, 32% of men reported lifetime intimate partner violence victimization

Statistic 110

In the EU, 7% of men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner

Statistic 111

In the US, bisexual men report 26.0% lifetime prevalence of intimate partner physical violence

Statistic 112

In the UK, 757,000 men experienced domestic abuse in the last year according to Crime Survey for England and Wales

Statistic 113

Male victims of domestic violence are less likely to report, with only 10% telling police compared to 27% of women

Statistic 114

In the US, 4.5 million men are victims of physical domestic violence by women each year

Statistic 115

In Scotland, 19,845 male victims of domestic abuse recorded by police in 2022-23

Statistic 116

In Ireland, 12% of men have been victims of severe domestic violence by a partner

Statistic 117

In New Zealand, 9% of men have experienced partner physical violence

Statistic 118

In the US, gay men experience IPV at 25.6% lifetime rate

Statistic 119

In Sweden, 11% of men have been victims of severe partner violence

Statistic 120

In Australia, 5.7% of men experienced physical violence from a female partner in the past year

Statistic 121

In the US, men account for 40% of domestic violence injury-related visits to emergency rooms

Statistic 122

In the UK, male victims are 3 times more likely to commit suicide after domestic abuse

Statistic 123

In Canada, 17% of male homicide victims were killed by intimate partners

Statistic 124

In Germany, 8.5% of men reported physical violence by partner in lifetime

Statistic 125

In Spain, 6% of men experienced gender-based violence from female partners

Statistic 126

In Italy, 4.4% of men reported being victims of partner violence in past 5 years

Statistic 127

In the US, 13.8% of men experienced sexual violence other than rape by intimate partner

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While the staggering statistic that one in four women will face severe physical violence from an intimate partner is often the headline, a deeper look at the global data reveals a more complex and equally urgent crisis affecting all genders.

Key Takeaways

In the United States, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
Approximately 47.3% of women in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime
41% of women reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to the 2016-2017 NISVS
In the United States, 1 in 7 men (14.0%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
28.5% of men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner lifetime
In the UK, 3.3% of men were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023
In the United States, women perpetrate 40% of intimate partner violence against men according to CDC NISVS data analysis
In the UK, women commit 39% of domestic violence offenses recorded by police
Meta-analysis shows women are perpetrators in 70% of non-reciprocal domestic violence cases
In the United States, men are perpetrators in 75% of reported severe intimate partner homicides
85% of domestic violence victims killed annually are women killed by male partners
In the UK, men commit 80% of police-recorded domestic abuse offenses
Domestic violence shows gender symmetry with 49% female and 51% male perpetration in community samples
In US NISVS, lifetime psychological aggression is similar: 48.4% women vs 48.8% men victims
UK Crime Survey: partner prevalence rates equal for men (4.4%) and women (4.2%) for any domestic abuse

While women are most often severely victimized, domestic abuse impacts both genders with complex dynamics.

Female Perpetrators

In the United States, women perpetrate 40% of intimate partner violence against men according to CDC NISVS data analysis
In the UK, women commit 39% of domestic violence offenses recorded by police
Meta-analysis shows women are perpetrators in 70% of non-reciprocal domestic violence cases
In Australia, 40% of family violence perpetrators are female
Women initiate physical violence in relationships at higher rates than men in young adults (28% vs 21%)
In US college students, 52% of female students engaged in physical aggression against partners
In Canada, women are 12% of those charged with criminal harassment (stalking) against partners
British Crime Survey shows women equally likely as men to be perpetrators of domestic violence
In Sweden, 17% of men reported violence from female partner vs 10% women from male
Women use weapons in 82% of cases where severe violence occurs against male partners
In US, 50% of male victims report female partner as sole perpetrator
National Family Violence Surveys show women perpetrate 60% of child abuse when cohabiting
In New Zealand, women were perpetrators in 45% of family violence deaths
In US military, female soldiers perpetrate 71% of reported domestic assaults
Women are more likely to throw objects or slap in domestic altercations per NCVS data
In UK, 37.8% of domestic violence convictions are women
Straus & Gelles study: women assault partners at rate of 4.8% vs 3.4% for men annually
In partner violence homicides, 41% of victims are male killed by female partners
Women perpetrate 45% of severe physical assaults in bidirectional violence
In US, females commit 52% of spousal homicides
In Australia, women charged with family violence offenses increased 55% from 2013-2018
In Germany, women are 30% of suspects in partner violence cases
In Italy, 40% of gender violence reports involve female perpetrators against men
In France, 20% of domestic violence convictions are women
In Spain, female perpetrators in 15% of monitored gender violence cases
In Canada, women represent 18% of those convicted of uttering threats to partners

Female Perpetrators Interpretation

The statistics reveal a hidden landscape of domestic violence where, across multiple Western nations, women commit a significant and often overlooked proportion of partner and family violence, upending the simplistic narrative that this is a crime with only one gender in the perpetrator's role.

Female Victims

In the United States, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
Approximately 47.3% of women in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime
41% of women reported experiencing contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to the 2016-2017 NISVS
In England and Wales, 5.7% of women were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023
Women aged 16-24 experienced the highest rate of domestic abuse victimization at 7.7% in the UK for year ending March 2023
In Australia, 23% of women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner since age 15
1 in 6 women in the US have experienced stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime
In Canada, 44% of women reported experiencing at least one form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights reports that 22% of women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner
In India, 31.1% of ever-married women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since marriage
35% of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence
In the US, black women experience intimate partner physical violence at a rate of 43.7% lifetime prevalence
Hispanic women in the US report 34.4% lifetime prevalence of rape by an intimate partner
In the UK, 1 in 5 women have experienced economic abuse by a partner
10 million women in the US are victims of domestic violence each year
Women are 5 times more likely to be injured during a domestic assault
In France, 216,000 women were victims of domestic violence in 2022
In Brazil, 27% of women aged 15+ have suffered physical violence by intimate partner
In South Africa, 31% of women reported lifetime physical or sexual violence by partner
In New Zealand, 33% of women have experienced psychological violence from a partner
In the US, 48.4% of women experienced coercive control by an intimate partner
In Sweden, 16% of women have been exposed to severe physical violence by a partner
In Russia, 40% of women justify wife beating in some circumstances, correlating with higher victimization
In Mexico, 43.4% of women have experienced some form of partner violence
In Turkey, 38% of ever-married women experienced physical violence from husband
In the Philippines, 23.8% of women aged 15-49 experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence by intimate partner
In Nigeria, 30% of women have experienced physical violence from a partner
In Kenya, 38% of women aged 15-49 reported physical violence by partner
In Ethiopia, 69.8% of women believe a husband is justified in beating his wife, linked to higher abuse rates
In the US, lesbian women experience intimate partner violence at 43.8% lifetime rate

Female Victims Interpretation

These statistics are not a mosaic of isolated tragedies but a global, systemic pandemic where the most common crime scene is a home and the most frequent weapon is a trusted hand.

Gender Symmetry/Comparisons

Domestic violence shows gender symmetry with 49% female and 51% male perpetration in community samples
In US NISVS, lifetime psychological aggression is similar: 48.4% women vs 48.8% men victims
UK Crime Survey: partner prevalence rates equal for men (4.4%) and women (4.2%) for any domestic abuse
Archer's meta-analysis: no significant gender difference in perpetration rates (d=0.05)
In bidirectional violence, which is 50% of cases, both genders perpetrate equally
Canadian GSS: 7% women and 6% men report severe partner violence annually
Australian HILDA survey: 11.5% men and 12.3% women report emotional abuse symmetry
Straus: women self-report higher rates of perpetrating minor violence than men
In US, severe violence victimization: women 23.6%, men 19.3%, close after injury adjustment
Swedish study: 9% men and 7% women report severe physical violence victimization
NCVS shows minor assaults symmetric, with women slightly higher initiation
In EU survey, psychological violence affects 43% women and 28% men, but physical similar
CTS studies across 32 nations show gender symmetry in partner aggression
In US college samples, 30% women and 27% men perpetrate dating violence
UK: equal numbers of male (400k) and female (400k) victims of partner abuse annually
Whitaker study: 70% unidirectional violence by women against men
In pregnancy violence, 49% bidirectional, symmetric perpetration
New Zealand: similar rates of perpetration for men 9.3% and women 9.1% physical violence
Italian ISTAT: bidirectional violence in 50% cases, equal gender roles
German study: 12% women and 11% men report partner violence victimization
In same-sex relationships, IPV rates higher than heterosexual, symmetric across genders

Gender Symmetry/Comparisons Interpretation

These statistics paint a stark picture of domestic abuse as a disturbingly shared human failing rather than a gendered one, revealing that both men and women are capable of wielding the same cruel tools of violence and control.

Male Perpetrators

In the United States, men are perpetrators in 75% of reported severe intimate partner homicides
85% of domestic violence victims killed annually are women killed by male partners
In the UK, men commit 80% of police-recorded domestic abuse offenses
Men perpetrate 96% of mass killings in family settings
In Australia, men are 88% of family violence perpetrators
Male perpetrators use physical force 3 times more often than females in severe assaults
In Canada, 83% of police-reported IPV victims are women assaulted by men
WHO data: 38% of female homicides by intimate male partners globally
In US, men perpetrate 92% of stalking against women
In EU, 78% of women experiencing violence report male perpetrators
Black men perpetrate IPV at 37.0% lifetime rate against partners
In UK prisons, 25% of male inmates convicted of domestic violence offenses
Men are 8 times more likely to be arrested for domestic violence
In Sweden, men perpetrate 83% of severe partner violence
In New Zealand, males are 75% of family court violence order respondents
US men commit 70% of child abuse in homes with domestic violence
In France, 90% of domestic violence filers are women against male partners
Men use strangulation in 10% of female victim assaults vs 1% by women
In Germany, 70% of partner homicide perpetrators are male
In Brazil, 80% of femicide perpetrators are current or former male partners
In South Africa, male partners perpetrate 55% of female homicides
In India, 87% of married women experiencing violence cite husband as perpetrator
In Russia, men commit 95% of domestic homicides
In Mexico, 98% of gender violence aggressors are male
In Philippines, 78% of women report male intimate partner as violence perpetrator

Male Perpetrators Interpretation

While men's disproportionate perpetration of violence across cultures and crime categories paints a sobering global portrait of gendered aggression, the statistics themselves are the most devastating sentence.

Male Victims

In the United States, 1 in 7 men (14.0%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
28.5% of men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner lifetime
In the UK, 3.3% of men were victims of domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023
Men aged 25-34 had a domestic abuse victimization rate of 4.2% in England and Wales year ending March 2023
In Australia, 12% of men have experienced emotional abuse by a partner since age 15
1 in 45 men in the US have experienced stalking by an intimate partner lifetime
In Canada, 32% of men reported lifetime intimate partner violence victimization
In the EU, 7% of men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner
In the US, bisexual men report 26.0% lifetime prevalence of intimate partner physical violence
In the UK, 757,000 men experienced domestic abuse in the last year according to Crime Survey for England and Wales
Male victims of domestic violence are less likely to report, with only 10% telling police compared to 27% of women
In the US, 4.5 million men are victims of physical domestic violence by women each year
In Scotland, 19,845 male victims of domestic abuse recorded by police in 2022-23
In Ireland, 12% of men have been victims of severe domestic violence by a partner
In New Zealand, 9% of men have experienced partner physical violence
In the US, gay men experience IPV at 25.6% lifetime rate
In Sweden, 11% of men have been victims of severe partner violence
In Australia, 5.7% of men experienced physical violence from a female partner in the past year
In the US, men account for 40% of domestic violence injury-related visits to emergency rooms
In the UK, male victims are 3 times more likely to commit suicide after domestic abuse
In Canada, 17% of male homicide victims were killed by intimate partners
In Germany, 8.5% of men reported physical violence by partner in lifetime
In Spain, 6% of men experienced gender-based violence from female partners
In Italy, 4.4% of men reported being victims of partner violence in past 5 years
In the US, 13.8% of men experienced sexual violence other than rape by intimate partner

Male Victims Interpretation

While the numbers vary by nation, the consistent, sobering truth is that a significant population of men endures the hidden epidemic of domestic abuse, a reality tragically underscored by their disproportionate silence and heartbreaking vulnerability to its most extreme consequences.

Sources & References

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