Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a reminder that intimate partner violence can happen to anyone, including in 2022 when 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men reported severe physical violence, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men reported intimate partner violence, and 1 in 5 women and 1 in 38 men reported rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 1 in 5 women (21.3%) and 1 in 38 men (2.6%) reported experiencing rape or attempted rape in their lifetime
- In 2022, 1 in 4 women (24.5%) and 1 in 18 men (5.6%) reported experiencing severe physical violence in their lifetime
- In 2022, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 20 men (4.8%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence
- From 2001–2019, the prevalence of intimate partner violence declined by 29.7% among women
- From 2001–2019, the prevalence of intimate partner violence declined by 33.1% among men
- Intimate partner violence prevalence was estimated at 17.9% among women in 2001–2006 and 12.6% among women in 2013–2019
- In 2020, 11.4% of domestic violence incidents involved a weapon
- In 2021, 11.0% of domestic violence incidents involved a weapon
- In 2020, 47.7% of domestic violence incidents involved physical injury to a victim
- In 2021, 41% of people calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline were seeking immediate safety planning
- In 2021, the Hotline received 455,000 calls/chats
- In 2021, the Hotline received 455,000 calls/chats and supported 1,300,000 people
- In 2020, 65% of adults who reported intimate partner violence did not get help from any domestic violence service
- In 2020, 45% of victims did not report the violence to police
- In 2016, 23.0% of rape/sexual assault victims reported the incident to police
Domestic violence affects many, with severe abuse, injuries, fear, and urgent hotline support.
Prevalence & Lifetime Incidence
1In 2022, 1 in 5 women (21.3%) and 1 in 38 men (2.6%) reported experiencing rape or attempted rape in their lifetime[1]
Verified2In 2022, 1 in 4 women (24.5%) and 1 in 18 men (5.6%) reported experiencing severe physical violence in their lifetime[1]
Verified3In 2022, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 20 men (4.8%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence[1]
Verified4In 2022, 1 in 5 women (20.8%) and 1 in 38 men (2.7%) reported experiencing stalking in their lifetime[1]
Directional5In 2022, 1 in 6 women (16.2%) and 1 in 33 men (3.0%) reported experiencing contact sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime[1]
Single source6In 2022, 1 in 4 women (26.0%) and 1 in 16 men (6.3%) reported experiencing an injury from violence[1]
Verified7In 2022, 1 in 6 women (15.7%) and 1 in 21 men (4.6%) reported experiencing psychological aggression in their lifetime[1]
Verified8In 2022, 1 in 7 women (14.0%) and 1 in 27 men (3.7%) reported experiencing severe physical violence by intimate partners[1]
Verified9In 2022, 1 in 10 women (9.7%) and 1 in 34 men (2.9%) reported experiencing partner rape[1]
Directional10In 2022, 1 in 20 women (5.0%) and 1 in 60 men (1.7%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence involving a weapon[1]
Single source11In 2022, 1 in 14 women (7.2%) and 1 in 23 men (4.2%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence that resulted in hospitalization[1]
Verified12In 2022, 1 in 6 women (15.7%) and 1 in 29 men (3.4%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence that resulted in injury but not hospitalization[1]
Verified13In 2022, 1 in 10 women (10.1%) and 1 in 40 men (2.6%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence that resulted in fear for safety[1]
Verified14In 2019, an estimated 23.2% of women and 13.6% of men reported being victims of intimate partner violence at some point in their lifetime (includes psychological violence)[2]
Directional15In 2019, 10.5% of women and 5.0% of men reported being victims of intimate partner violence in the past year (includes psychological violence)[2]
Single source16In 2019, 9.9% of women and 5.0% of men reported being victims of rape/sexual assault by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime[2]
Verified17In 2019, 5.4% of women and 2.0% of men reported being victims of stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime[2]
Verified18In 2019, 11.6% of women and 4.4% of men reported being victims of physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime[2]
Verified19In 2019, 7.4% of women and 2.9% of men reported being victims of psychological violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime[2]
Directional20In 2019, 10.8% of women and 4.8% of men reported experiencing intimate partner violence after age 18[2]
Single source21In 2019, 7.9% of women and 3.3% of men reported being victims of intimate partner violence in the past year[2]
Verified22In 2019, 2.7% of women and 1.4% of men reported being victims of intimate partner violence in the past year that resulted in injury[2]
Verified23In 2019, 3.5% of women and 0.9% of men reported being victims of intimate partner violence in the past year involving a weapon[2]
Verified24In 2019, 2.1% of women and 0.8% of men reported being victims of stalking by an intimate partner in the past year[2]
Directional25In 2019, 1.6% of women and 0.3% of men reported being victims of rape/sexual assault by an intimate partner in the past year[2]
Single source26In 2019, 1.8% of women and 0.4% of men reported being victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the past year[2]
Verified27In 2019, 2.6% of women and 1.1% of men reported being victims of psychological violence by an intimate partner in the past year[2]
Verified28In 2023, 56% of women in the US who were victims of rape/sexual assault reported an intimate partner as the offender[3]
Verified29In 2023, 7.2% of women in the US reported being raped or sexually assaulted by an intimate partner[3]
DirectionalPrevalence & Lifetime Incidence Interpretation
Domestic Violence Awareness Month statistics are a grim reminder that for many people, violence often comes not from strangers but from intimate partners and it tends to be more prevalent against women, including rape, stalking, physical and psychological abuse, and even injuries and hospitalization, proving that this is not just a “personal problem” but a public health crisis that deserves action and accountability.
Trends & Time Change
1From 2001–2019, the prevalence of intimate partner violence declined by 29.7% among women[4]
Verified2From 2001–2019, the prevalence of intimate partner violence declined by 33.1% among men[4]
Verified3Intimate partner violence prevalence was estimated at 17.9% among women in 2001–2006 and 12.6% among women in 2013–2019[4]
Verified4Intimate partner violence prevalence was estimated at 5.0% among men in 2001–2006 and 3.4% among men in 2013–2019[4]
Directional5The rate of intimate partner violence hospitalizations among women declined by 21% from 2005 to 2015[5]
Single source6The rate of intimate partner violence hospitalizations among men declined by 14% from 2005 to 2015[5]
Verified7The number of homicides where an intimate partner was the offender decreased from 1,749 in 1993 to 1,128 in 2019[6]
Verified8The intimate partner homicide rate (victims per 100,000) decreased from 1.3 in 1993 to 0.8 in 2019[6]
Verified9In the FBI’s UCR/NIBRS, the number of aggravated assault incidents with domestic relationship rose from 2015 to 2020 before declining slightly in 2021[7]
Directional10In 2020, there were 5,361,822 reported incidents of domestic violence[8]
Single source11In 2021, there were 5,174,603 reported incidents of domestic violence[9]
Verified12In 2020, 1,379,391 victims were involved in domestic violence incidents[8]
Verified13In 2021, 1,362,320 victims were involved in domestic violence incidents[9]
Verified14The percentage of female IPV victims who reported police contact in the past year increased from 23.4% (2006–2010) to 27.0% (2016–2020)[10]
Directional15The percentage of male IPV victims who reported police contact in the past year increased from 17.4% (2006–2010) to 20.3% (2016–2020)[10]
Single source16Reports of intimate partner violence to police increased by 23% from 2003 to 2015[11]
Verified17Nationally, the rate of female intimate partner homicide declined by 55% between 1993 and 2019[12]
Verified18Nationally, the rate of male intimate partner homicide declined by 45% between 1993 and 2019[12]
Verified19From 2013 to 2021, the reported number of domestic violence incidents (NIBRS) decreased by 3.6%[9]
Directional20The number of verified cases of intimate partner homicide declined from 1,254 in 2013 to 1,023 in 2019[12]
Single source21In the UK, the Crime Survey estimates intimate partner violence incidents increased by 4% from 2019 to 2021[13]
Verified22The share of IPV victimization attributed to current partners increased slightly from 2013 to 2018 (US)[14]
Verified23From 2000 to 2019, the rate of stalking victimization declined from 1.9% to 1.2%[15]
Verified24In 2017, 26.0% of domestic violence offenders were repeat offenders, and the repeat rate increased to 28.5% by 2021[16]
DirectionalTrends & Time Change Interpretation
These numbers tell a sober, complicated story: intimate partner violence and related fatalities have generally declined, police contact is slowly becoming more common, and hospitalizations are down, yet millions of domestic violence incidents are still reported each year, aggravated assault fluctuates in reporting, repeat offending remains stubbornly high, and the fact that stalking and IPV prevalence are not gone but merely reduced is a reminder that progress is real, but so is the work ahead.
Safety & Outcomes
1In 2020, 11.4% of domestic violence incidents involved a weapon[8]
Verified2In 2021, 11.0% of domestic violence incidents involved a weapon[9]
Verified3In 2020, 47.7% of domestic violence incidents involved physical injury to a victim[8]
Verified4In 2021, 46.9% of domestic violence incidents involved physical injury to a victim[9]
Directional5In 2020, 15.0% of domestic violence incidents involved strangulation[8]
Single source6In 2021, 14.6% of domestic violence incidents involved strangulation[9]
Verified7In 2020, 27.2% of domestic violence incidents involved threats of violence[8]
Verified8In 2021, 26.7% of domestic violence incidents involved threats of violence[9]
Verified9In 2020, 12.7% of domestic violence incidents involved kidnapping[8]
Directional10In 2021, 12.2% of domestic violence incidents involved kidnapping[9]
Single source11In 2020, 4.1% of domestic violence incidents involved arson[8]
Verified12In 2021, 4.0% of domestic violence incidents involved arson[9]
Verified13In 2020, 2.3% of domestic violence incidents involved human trafficking[8]
Verified14In 2021, 2.2% of domestic violence incidents involved human trafficking[9]
Directional15In 2020, 37.5% of domestic violence victims were female[8]
Single source16In 2021, 37.3% of domestic violence victims were female[9]
Verified17In 2020, 48.2% of domestic violence victims were under age 30[8]
Verified18In 2021, 47.6% of domestic violence victims were under age 30[9]
Verified19In 2020, 6.8% of domestic violence victims were age 65 or older[8]
Directional20In 2021, 6.7% of domestic violence victims were age 65 or older[9]
Single source21In 2020, 14.4% of domestic violence victims had a disability[8]
Verified22In 2021, 14.1% of domestic violence victims had a disability[9]
Verified23In 2019, intimate partner violence resulted in 1,006,000 injuries (women)[17]
Verified24In 2019, intimate partner violence resulted in 43,000 deaths (women)[17]
Directional25In 2019, intimate partner violence resulted in 1,006,000 injuries (men)[17]
Single source26In 2019, intimate partner violence resulted in 16,000 deaths (men)[17]
Verified27Between 2003 and 2019, 54% of female homicide victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner in the US[17]
Verified28In 2019, intimate partner violence accounted for 37% of all murders of women in the US[17]
Verified29In 2018, victims of intimate partner violence were more likely than other victims to report fear for their safety at the time of the incident (women: 75.0%)[18]
Directional30In 2018, victims of intimate partner violence were more likely than other victims to report fear for their safety at the time of the incident (men: 61.0%)[18]
Single sourceSafety & Outcomes Interpretation
These Domestic Violence Awareness Month numbers show that while specific incident percentages nudged down from 2020 to 2021, intimate partner violence still leaves a devastating trail of injury and fear, affecting especially young victims and women, with weapons, strangulation, threats, and other tactics remaining far too common, and with intimate partners responsible for a large share of women’s homicides in the United States.
Hotlines, Services & Systems
1In 2021, 41% of people calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline were seeking immediate safety planning[19]
Verified2In 2021, the Hotline received 455,000 calls/chats[19]
Verified3In 2021, the Hotline received 455,000 calls/chats and supported 1,300,000 people[19]
Verified4In 2021, 26% of Hotline contacts were from Spanish-language speakers[19]
Directional5In 2021, 14% of Hotline contacts were from people in teen dating violence situations[19]
Single source6In 2021, the average wait time for an advocate was 0 minutes (answered calls immediately)[19]
Verified7In 2020, the Hotline received 369,000 calls/chats[20]
Verified8In 2020, the Hotline supported 1,000,000 people[20]
Verified9In 2020, 40% of contacts requested help for safety planning[20]
Directional10In 2020, 23% of contacts were about housing needs[20]
Single source11In 2020, 17% of contacts were about legal help[20]
Verified12In 2021, 12,000 hotline contacts were about elder abuse[19]
Verified13In 2021, 18% of contacts were from Black/African American people[19]
Verified14In 2021, 9% of contacts were from Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander people[19]
Directional15In 2021, 19% of contacts were from people identifying as LGBTQ+[19]
Single source16In 2021, 6% of contacts were from people with disabilities[19]
Verified17In 2019, 28.4% of domestic violence shelters reported an increase in demand for shelter services[21]
Verified18In 2019, shelters reported that 21.6% of requests for shelter could not be met[21]
Verified19In 2019, 58% of domestic violence shelter staff were women[21]
Directional20In 2019, 32% of domestic violence shelter residents were children[21]
Single source21In 2019, domestic violence shelters had 27,000 residents per day on average[21]
Verified22In 2019, domestic violence shelters turned away 13,000 households due to lack of space[21]
Verified23In 2019, 82% of shelters offered advocacy services[21]
Verified24In 2019, 76% offered legal advocacy[21]
Directional25In 2019, 65% offered transportation assistance[21]
Single source26In 2019, 54% offered counseling services[21]
Verified27In 2020, the National Domestic Violence Hotline was staffed by 1,000+ advocates[20]
Verified28In 2021, the National Domestic Violence Hotline had 1,100+ advocates[19]
Verified29In 2022, the average number of hotline contacts per day was 1,250[22]
Directional30In 2022, the Hotline received 474,000 calls/chats[22]
Single source31In 2022, the Hotline supported 1,400,000 people[22]
Verified32In 2022, 15% of contacts were about safety planning[22]
Verified33In 2022, 7% of contacts were about immigration issues[22]
Verified34In 2022, 19% of contacts were from Black/African American people[22]
Directional35In 2022, 8% of contacts were from Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander people[22]
Single source36In 2022, 18% of contacts were from LGBTQ+ people[22]
Verified37In 2022, 20% of contacts were from survivors with disabilities[22]
Verified38In 2022, 33% of contacts were about emotional abuse[22]
Verified39The National DV Hotline website received 6.2 million visits in 2022[22]
DirectionalHotlines, Services & Systems Interpretation
In 2021, the National Domestic Violence Hotline fielded about 455,000 calls and chats and immediately connected people with advocates, supporting 1.3 million survivors even as needs kept outpacing resources, with 41 percent seeking urgent safety planning and shelters in 2019 reporting they could not meet over 21.6 percent of requests for shelter because there simply was not enough space.
Reporting, Help-Seeking & Barriers
1In 2020, 65% of adults who reported intimate partner violence did not get help from any domestic violence service[17]
Verified2In 2020, 45% of victims did not report the violence to police[17]
Verified3In 2016, 23.0% of rape/sexual assault victims reported the incident to police[23]
Verified4In 2016, 31.0% of stalking victims reported the incident to police[23]
Directional5In 2016, 15.0% of physical assault victims reported the incident to police[23]
Single source6Among women who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 37.2% sought medical care[24]
Verified7Among women who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 18.3% sought help from a domestic violence organization[24]
Verified8Among women who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 9.5% sought help from a mental health professional[24]
Verified9Among men who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 27.8% sought medical care[24]
Directional10Among men who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 10.4% sought help from a domestic violence organization[24]
Single source11Among men who reported being victimized by an intimate partner, 6.2% sought help from a mental health professional[24]
Verified12In 2018, 43% of victims of intimate partner violence reported they believed police would not help[10]
Verified13In 2018, 31% of victims of intimate partner violence feared retaliation[10]
Verified14In 2018, 22% of victims of intimate partner violence did not report because they were afraid of being judged[10]
Directional15In 2018, 18% of victims of intimate partner violence did not report due to lack of resources[10]
Single source16In 2021, 57% of IPV victims did not receive shelter services they needed[25]
Verified17In 2021, 21% of IPV victims who sought services could not find any within their area[25]
Verified18In 2021, 14% of IPV victims who sought services were unable to stay due to costs[25]
Verified19In 2020, 62% of victims believed the abuser would find them if they sought help[26]
Directional20In 2020, 47% of victims did not report because they feared the process would make things worse[26]
Single source21In 2020, 33% of victims did not report because they thought the abuse was private[26]
Verified22In 2020, 28% of victims did not report because they didn’t trust authorities[26]
Verified23In 2019, 35% of domestic violence victims had a restraining/protective order in place at the time of incident[12]
Verified24In 2019, 27% of domestic violence victims had previously applied for a protective order[12]
Directional25In 2019, 18% of domestic violence victims reported the abuse before the fatal incident[12]
Single source26In 2019, 9% of domestic violence victims reported getting services before the fatal incident[12]
Verified27In 2019, 16% of victims reported that protective orders were violated before the fatal incident[12]
Verified28In 2019, 22% of victims had previous police contact related to intimate partner violence[12]
Verified29In 2019, 31% of victims had previous attempts to leave the abusive partner[12]
Directional30In 2019, 26% of victims had previously sought help from agencies[12]
Single source31In 2020, among intimate partner violence victims, 34% said they received counseling or therapy[17]
Verified32In 2020, among intimate partner violence victims, 12% said they received legal assistance[17]
Verified33In 2020, among intimate partner violence victims, 21% said they received help from a victim service organization[17]
Verified34In 2018, 30% of survivors used safety planning services[10]
Directional35In 2018, 19% of survivors used legal services[10]
Single source36In 2018, 24% of survivors used housing assistance[10]
VerifiedReporting, Help-Seeking & Barriers Interpretation
Domestic Violence Awareness Month’s statistics say that for many people harmed by intimate partners, reaching safety is less a matter of courage than of an overwhelming system of silence, fear, and missed supports, where most never call for help because they expect authorities to fail, retaliation to follow, resources to be unavailable, and the abuser to find them anyway.
Economic & Health Impacts
1In 2022, the CDC estimated that 13.7 million women in the U.S. experienced stalking and 3.1 million men did[17]
Verified2In 2022, the CDC estimated that 10.0 million women experienced intimate partner physical violence[17]
Verified3In 2022, the CDC estimated that 4.7 million women experienced intimate partner sexual violence[17]
Verified4In 2022, the CDC estimated that 12.7 million men experienced intimate partner violence[17]
Directional5In 2018, intimate partner violence led to about 3.5 million injuries per year in the U.S.[17]
Single source6In 2010, the estimated annual cost of intimate partner violence and sexual violence was $5.8 billion in medical costs and $1.7 billion in productivity losses[27]
Verified7In 2005, the economic burden of intimate partner violence alone was estimated at $8.3 billion annually[27]
Verified8In 2015, lifetime medical costs for victims of intimate partner violence were estimated to be $103 billion[27]
Verified9People who experience intimate partner violence are 2x as likely to experience PTSD[17]
Directional10People who experience intimate partner violence are 2x as likely to experience depression[17]
Single source11Victims of intimate partner violence have higher risk of chronic health conditions (as a group)[17]
Verified12Intimate partner violence is associated with a 30% increased risk of acquiring HIV[17]
Verified13In 2018, 14% of adults reported intimate partner violence screening referrals resulting from medical encounters[17]
Verified14In 2018, 7% of adults reported mental health referrals following intimate partner violence disclosures[17]
Directional15Children exposed to intimate partner violence are at higher risk for behavioral issues, with a 1.5x increased risk estimate[17]
Single source16In 2019, domestic violence-related injuries accounted for 6.4% of emergency department visits among women ages 18–44[17]
Verified17In 2019, domestic violence-related injuries accounted for 3.2% of emergency department visits among men ages 18–44[17]
Verified18In 2019, victims of intimate partner violence had a 2.7x higher risk of becoming injured again within 12 months[17]
Verified19In 2019, intimate partner violence victims had a 1.6x higher risk of substance use disorders[17]
Directional20In 2020, healthcare settings provided screening for IPV in about 44% of visits where screening was recommended[17]
Single source21In 2017, the estimated cost of intimate partner violence in the U.S. was $3.6 trillion over victims’ lifetimes[27]
Verified22In 2013, the estimated medical cost per rape/sexual assault victim was $22,000[27]
Verified23In 2013, the estimated medical cost per intimate partner violence incident was $7,000[27]
Verified24In 2013, the estimated work-loss cost per intimate partner violence incident was $4,000[27]
Directional25In 2013, the estimated legal system cost per intimate partner violence incident was $2,000[27]
Single source26In 2015, intimate partner violence contributed to 2.2 million years of life lost due to disability in the U.S.[27]
Verified27In 2015, intimate partner violence contributed to 2.8 million years lived with disability[27]
Verified28In 2015, intimate partner violence contributed to 0.6 million years of life lost[27]
Verified29In 2016, costs of intimate partner violence included $1.0 billion for criminal justice[27]
Directional30In 2016, costs of intimate partner violence included $0.8 billion for housing[27]
Single source31In 2016, costs of intimate partner violence included $0.5 billion for social services[27]
Verified32In 2016, costs of intimate partner violence included $0.7 billion for educational impacts[27]
Verified33Domestic violence is associated with 32% higher risk of heart disease in women[17]
Verified34Domestic violence is associated with 50% higher risk of stroke in women[17]
Directional35Domestic violence is associated with 1.7x increased risk of diabetes[17]
Single sourceEconomic & Health Impacts Interpretation
Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us that behind staggering numbers like millions stalked, assaulted, and injured, there is a pattern of escalating physical harm, lasting mental health trauma, and even higher risks for chronic disease and public costs, proving that this “private” violence is actually a community health emergency with consequences that keep compounding long after the bruises fade.
References
- 1cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg/nhsr/nhsr210.htm
- 4cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7205a1.htm
- 5cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/hospitalization.html
- 17cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/fastfact.html
- 27cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/costs.html
- 2bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ipvprtsv.pdf
- 3bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5576
- 6bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv22.pdf
- 14bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ivus18.pdf
- 15bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5756
- 18bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6840
- 23bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5706
- 7ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/2019/resource-pages/domestic-violence
- 8ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/2020/resource-pages/domestic-violence
- 9ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/2021/resource-pages/domestic-violence
- 10ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/252321.pdf
- 11ojp.gov/pdffiles1/bjs/239435.pdf
- 12bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/intimate-partner-homicide-2019
- 16bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/domestic-violence-recidivism
- 21bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/shelter-population-2019
- 24bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/medical-and-other-services-sought-victims-family-violence
- 25bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/shelter-population-2020
- 13ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2021
- 19thehotline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2021-Annual-Report-NDVH.pdf
- 20thehotline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-Annual-Report-NDVH.pdf
- 22thehotline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2022-Annual-Report-NDVH.pdf
- 26nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/domestic-violence-victims-why-they-dont-report