Domestic violence accounts for half of all female homicides in the U.S. Each year, incidents cause $8.3 billion in medical costs and millions of lost workdays. The data shows a profound public health crisis that extends far beyond the home.
Key Takeaways
- Domestic violence homicides account for 50% of all female homicides in the U.S.
- Victims of IPV lose 8 million workdays per year in the U.S.
- IPV causes $8.3 billion in medical costs annually in the U.S.
- 85% of domestic violence perpetrators in the U.S. are male
- Men who abuse their partners are 3 times more likely to have a criminal record
- 80% of abusers in reported cases have low self-esteem issues
- In the U.S., Black women are 35% more likely to experience domestic violence than white women
- 94% of domestic abuse victims in the U.S. are female
- Women aged 18-24 are 2.3 times more likely to experience intimate partner violence than women aged 25+
- In the United States, approximately 10 million people are victims of domestic violence each year
- Globally, 1 in 3 women (about 736 million) have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime
- In 2020, there were over 1 million domestic violence incidents reported to police in England and Wales
- 60% of perpetrators reoffend within 2 years post-arrest
- Only 34% of IPV incidents are reported to police in the U.S.
- Batterer intervention programs reduce recidivism by 33%
Domestic violence affects millions with severe health and economic harm, including major costs and long term trauma.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consequences and Impacts20 stats
01
Domestic violence homicides account for 50% of all female homicides in the U.S.
02
Victims of IPV lose 8 million workdays per year in the U.S.
03
IPV causes $8.3 billion in medical costs annually in the U.S.
04
37% of domestic violence victims suffer physical injury requiring medical attention
05
Children exposed to domestic violence are 15 times more likely to be physically and/or sexually assaulted
06
IPV survivors have a 70% higher risk of heart disease
07
42% of IPV victims develop PTSD
08
Economic abuse affects 99% of domestic violence cases
09
Suicide attempts are 2.5 times higher among IPV victims
10
In the UK, domestic abuse costs £66 billion annually including health and justice services
11
IPV victims miss 8.1 million paid work days annually, costing $1.8 billion in lost productivity
12
40% of IPV victims sustain injuries, 30% seek medical care
13
Children witnessing DV 50% more likely to abuse drugs
14
IPV increases depression risk by 50%
15
Homicide by partner is leading cause of death for pregnant women
16
67% of victims report long-term health issues like asthma
17
Economic costs of DV in Australia $13.6 billion yearly
18
25% of suicide victims had experienced IPV
19
Firearms used in 50% of intimate partner homicides
20
Victims 16x more likely to use food assistance
Interpretation
Consequences and Impacts Interpretation
The sheer scale of these numbers reveals a chilling truth: domestic violence is not a private crime but a public health epidemic that systematically shatters bodies, bank accounts, and futures, leaving a staggering bill paid in blood, trauma, and lost potential.
02 · Category
Demographics of Perpetrators20 stats
01
85% of domestic violence perpetrators in the U.S. are male
02
Men who abuse their partners are 3 times more likely to have a criminal record
03
80% of abusers in reported cases have low self-esteem issues
04
Perpetrators with substance abuse issues commit 40-60% of domestic violence acts
05
In the UK, 95% of domestic abuse perpetrators are male
06
Abusers aged 18-34 account for 50% of all domestic violence arrests
07
30% of perpetrators have witnessed domestic violence in their childhood
08
Unemployed perpetrators are twice as likely to commit IPV
09
Perpetrators with mental health disorders represent 25% of cases
10
In Australia, 89% of perpetrators in family violence incidents are male
11
70% of abusers control victims financially
12
Perpetrators with PTSD are 4 times more likely to abuse
13
Alcohol use involved in 45% of IPV incidents
14
Jealousy motivates 30% of male perpetrators
15
In Canada, 83% of perpetrators in police-reported IPV are male
16
Perpetrators under unemployment have 3x recidivism
17
50% of abusers grew up in violent homes
18
Hispanic male perpetrators 1.2x more likely in U.S.
19
Perpetrators aged 30-49 commit 40% of homicides
20
20% of perpetrators have personality disorders
Interpretation
Demographics of Perpetrators Interpretation
While these statistics paint a grim and gendered portrait of domestic violence, they collectively indict not just individual monsters but a society that feeds them through toxic masculinity, systemic neglect of mental health and addiction, and the cyclical inheritance of trauma.
03 · Category
Demographics of Victims20 stats
01
In the U.S., Black women are 35% more likely to experience domestic violence than white women
02
94% of domestic abuse victims in the U.S. are female
03
Women aged 18-24 are 2.3 times more likely to experience intimate partner violence than women aged 25+
04
In the UK, 73% of domestic abuse-related crimes involved female victims
05
Indigenous women in Canada are 3 times more likely to experience IPV than non-Indigenous women
06
LGBTQ+ individuals experience domestic violence at rates 2-4 times higher than straight individuals
07
Pregnant women are 1.5 times more likely to be victims of homicide by a partner
08
In the U.S., 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year
09
Hispanic women in the U.S. experience 1.4 times higher rates of IPV than non-Hispanic white women
10
Elderly women over 60 experience domestic violence at a rate of 1 in 10
11
Low-income women in the U.S. experience IPV at twice the rate of high-income women
12
Transgender individuals face domestic violence rates up to 50% higher
13
Rural women are 1.4 times more likely to experience IPV than urban women
14
Disabled women experience violence 1.5-10 times more than non-disabled
15
In the UK, Asian women report 2.5 times higher IPV rates
16
Veterans experience IPV at rates 1.7 times higher than civilians
17
College women aged 18-24 report stalking by partners at 13%
18
Immigrant women face barriers, with 64% experiencing IPV
19
In Australia, Aboriginal women experience family violence 45 times higher rate
20
Women with children under 12 are victimized at 25% higher rate
Interpretation
Demographics of Victims Interpretation
These statistics collectively paint a portrait of a pandemic where the universal risk of domestic violence is sharply intensified by the specific intersections of race, poverty, age, disability, and identity, revealing a crisis that is both brutally uniform in its primary target and ruthlessly particular in its choice of most vulnerable prey.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevalence and Incidence20 stats
01
In the United States, approximately 10 million people are victims of domestic violence each year
02
Globally, 1 in 3 women (about 736 million) have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime
03
In 2020, there were over 1 million domestic violence incidents reported to police in England and Wales
04
About 41% of all women police officers in the U.S. have experienced domestic violence at some point
05
In Australia, 1 in 6 women have experienced an incident of physical or sexual assault by a current or previous cohabiting partner since age 15
06
In the EU, 22% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner since age 15
07
In Canada, 44% of women and 40% of men reported experiencing at least one form of IPV victimization
08
In India, 31.9% of ever-married women aged 15-49 have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional spousal violence
09
In South Africa, 27.4% of women aged 18+ have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in the past 12 months
10
In Brazil, 10% of women aged 15+ reported physical violence by an intimate partner in the past 12 months
11
In the United States, nearly 1 in 10 women have been raped by their intimate partner
12
About 48.4% of women and 48.8% of men have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
13
In 2019, there were 1,810 victims of intimate partner violence homicide in the U.S.
14
1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner
15
In the U.S., 35.6% of women report lifetime stalking victimization
16
Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners
17
In Mexico, 43% of women have suffered violence from their partner
18
In Russia, 16,000 women are beaten daily by partners
19
In Egypt, 87% of women have experienced gender-based violence
20
In Kenya, 41% of married women report physical violence by husbands
Interpretation
Prevalence and Incidence Interpretation
These statistics form a grim global chorus, proving that the most dangerous place for a woman is often the very home she is told is her sanctuary.
05 · Category
Prevention, Response, and Policy20 stats
01
60% of perpetrators reoffend within 2 years post-arrest
02
Only 34% of IPV incidents are reported to police in the U.S.
03
Batterer intervention programs reduce recidivism by 33%
04
In the U.S., 18 states require arrest in domestic violence cases
05
Hotline calls to National Domestic Violence Hotline average 52,000 per month
06
Protective orders are violated in 45% of cases within 2 years
07
Only 7% of shelters turn away victims due to lack of space
08
Federal funding for VAWA programs totals $698 million in FY2022
09
In Canada, family violence legislation led to 20% increase in reporting rates
10
Education programs in schools reduce acceptance of violence by 20%
11
Mandatory arrest policies increase dual arrests by 50%
12
Shelters house 1,400 victims daily in U.S.
13
VAWA reauthorization in 2022 expanded tribal jurisdiction
14
911 calls for DV increased 10% during COVID-19
15
Batterer programs show 64% non-recidivism with cognitive therapy
16
Only 50% of protective orders enforced effectively
17
UK Clare's Law checks 150,000+ since 2014
18
Prevention education reduces teen dating violence by 50%
19
In EU, 14 member states have specific DV laws
20
National Hotline resolved 92% of calls with safety plans
Interpretation
Prevention, Response, and Policy Interpretation
The grim math of domestic violence reveals a system where prevention and protection show promising results, yet are perpetually undermined by underreporting, underfunding, and the sobering reality that nearly half of all court orders and a majority of perpetrators are broken.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Domestic Assault Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/domestic-assault-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Domestic Assault Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/domestic-assault-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Domestic Assault Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/domestic-assault-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level