One in three adults report experiencing unhealthy relationship behaviors like coercion or emotional abuse. These patterns appear across all demographics and relationship types. The data also reveals a significant economic and mental health toll linked to these dynamics.
Key Takeaways
- IPV costs US $8.3 billion annually in medical
- Women experiencing IPV are 1.5 times more likely to be depressed
- 70% of abusers have criminal history
- IPV survivors face 16% higher risk of heart disease
- Nearly 1 in 10 women in the US have been raped by an intimate partner
- Emotional abuse involves isolation in 80% cases
Most people in unhealthy relationships rarely recognize the harm early, keeping cycles going longer.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic/societal Costs30 stats
01
IPV costs US $8.3 billion annually in medical
02
DV victims lose 8 million workdays yearly
03
Lifetime economic cost per victim $103,000
04
42% victims miss work due to abuse
05
Global cost of IPV 1.5% GDP
06
Shelters cost $300 million/year US
07
Child custody battles cost $20k average
08
60% victims become unemployed post-abuse
09
Legal costs for DV $1.5 billion/year
10
Homelessness from DV 38% cases
11
Welfare usage 3x higher for victims
12
Productivity loss $1.8 billion/year
13
50% victims face job sabotage
14
Child services involvement costs $2 billion
15
Mental health treatment $5.8 billion/year
16
Police response to DV $4.2 billion
17
Reduced lifetime earnings 30% for victims
18
Incarceration costs $500 million/year
19
25% poverty increase post-DV
20
Education disruption in 40% child witnesses
21
Healthcare costs double for victims
22
Divorce from DV costs $15k average
23
70% victims need food assistance
24
Global VAW economic burden $1.5 trillion
25
Absenteeism 50% higher for victims
26
Foster care costs from DV $1 billion
27
Victim services funded 20% shortfalls
28
Long-term disability claims 2x higher
29
35% turnover rate in victim jobs
30
Juvenile delinquency from DV homes 3x
Interpretation
Economic/societal Costs Interpretation
Economic and societal costs are massive, with IPV costing about US $8.3 billion annually in medical expenses and pushing many DV victims out of work since 42% miss work and they lose 8 million workdays each year.
02 · Category
Mental Health Effects30 stats
01
Women experiencing IPV are 1.5 times more likely to be depressed
02
IPV survivors have 2-3 times higher risk of PTSD
03
40-60% of IPV victims develop PTSD symptoms
04
Emotional abuse linked to 2x risk of anxiety disorders
05
30% of abused women suffer from major depression
06
IPV increases suicide attempts by 3.5 times in women
07
Abused women 80% more likely to misuse substances
08
Psychological aggression correlates with low self-esteem in 70% cases
09
Teen dating violence doubles risk of depressive symptoms
10
IPV victims 4x more likely to have alcohol dependence
11
Emotional abuse increases chronic stress hormones by 50%
12
50% of survivors report long-term trust issues
13
Gaslighting leads to dissociation in 25% of victims
14
Coercive control raises suicide ideation by 2x
15
Abused partners show 30% higher cortisol levels
16
35% of IPV victims develop eating disorders
17
Stalking victims have 3x PTSD risk
18
Financial abuse correlates with 40% higher depression rates
19
60% of child witnesses to DV develop behavioral problems
20
IPV linked to 50% increased schizophrenia risk in offspring
21
Sexual violence survivors 5x more likely to attempt suicide
22
Emotional IPV causes sleep disturbances in 45% victims
23
Abusers' partners 2.5x more likely to self-harm
24
28% of men experiencing IPV report depression
25
IPV in LGBTQ relationships doubles anxiety prevalence
26
40% of survivors experience complex PTSD
27
IPV victims 3x more likely to be hospitalized for mental health
28
Psychological abuse increases somatic symptoms by 35%
29
55% of abused women report panic attacks
30
IPV raises risk of personality disorders by 2x
Interpretation
Mental Health Effects Interpretation
For mental health effects, intimate partner violence is strongly associated with severe outcomes, including 1.5 times higher depression risk among women and a 2 to 3 times higher likelihood of PTSD, with 40 to 60 percent of IPV victims developing PTSD symptoms.
03 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics23 stats
01
70% of abusers have criminal history
02
80% of abusers witnessed DV as children
03
Alcohol abuse in 50% perpetrators
04
40% of abusers have personality disorders
05
Unemployment doubles perpetration risk
06
60% male perpetrators have jealousy issues
07
30% abusers stalk post-separation
08
Low empathy in 75% convicted abusers
09
50% perpetrators deny responsibility
10
History of trauma in 65% abusers
11
25% abusers use weapons
12
Antisocial traits in 35% batterers
13
45% have controlling behaviors pre-violence
14
Drug use correlates with 40% perpetration
15
55% abusers male aged 18-35
16
Narcissism in 20% emotional abusers
17
70% reoffend within 2 years untreated
18
Poverty increases perpetration by 2x
19
15% female perpetrators in heterosexual couples
20
High anger levels in 80% batterers
21
30% have military background with higher risk
22
Entitlement beliefs in 60% abusers
23
40% perpetrators isolate victims socially
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
The perpetrator characteristics show a clear pattern where 80% of abusers witnessed domestic violence as children and 70% have criminal histories, suggesting that these harmful backgrounds and broader risk factors often fuel abusive behavior.
More related reading
04 · Category
Physical Health Effects30 stats
01
IPV survivors face 16% higher risk of heart disease
02
Abused women 1.5x more likely to have hypertension
03
IPV linked to 30% increased stroke risk
04
40% of IPV victims sustain injuries requiring medical care
05
Strangulation in IPV leads to brain injury in 50% cases
06
IPV increases diabetes risk by 25%
07
Pregnant women abused 2x more likely to miscarry
08
IPV causes 20% of maternal deaths globally
09
Abused individuals 70% more likely to develop chronic pain
10
Sexual IPV raises HIV risk by 1.5x
11
25% of IPV injuries are head-related
12
IPV linked to 50% higher obesity rates
13
Fractures occur in 30% of severe IPV cases
14
IPV victims 3x more likely to smoke
15
Abdominal injuries in 40% battered women
16
IPV doubles risk of arthritis
17
15% of IPV leads to hospitalization
18
Strangled victims have 10x homicide risk
19
IPV increases asthma exacerbations by 20%
20
35% of abused pregnant women have low birth weight babies
21
IPV linked to gastrointestinal disorders in 45%
22
Burns and scalds in 10% of child abuse from DV homes
23
IPV raises cancer risk by 15%
24
20% of ER visits by women are DV-related
25
IPV victims 2x more likely to have STIs
26
Hearing loss in 15% repeated assault victims
27
IPV linked to fibromyalgia in 30% women
28
50% of homicides from IPV involve firearms
29
Abused children 4x more likely to have health issues
30
IPV increases COPD risk by 25%
Interpretation
Physical Health Effects Interpretation
For physical health effects, the data show that intimate partner violence measurably harms the body, with heart disease risk up 16%, stroke risk 30% higher, and 40% of victims sustaining injuries that require medical care.
05 · Category
Prevalence30 stats
01
Nearly 1 in 10 women in the US have been raped by an intimate partner
02
About 1 in 6 women have experienced attempted or completed rape by an intimate partner
03
35.6% of US women report lifetime stalking by an intimate partner
04
28.5% of US men report lifetime stalking by an intimate partner
05
48.4% of women experience psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
06
48.8% of men experience psychological aggression by an intimate partner
07
Globally, 30% of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner
08
1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical or sexual intimate partner violence
09
38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners
10
In the US, 1 in 7 women aged 18+ have been injured by an intimate partner
11
41% of women report coercive control in relationships
12
15% of US adults report experiencing emotional abuse in relationships
13
1 in 5 women in college experience relationship violence
14
10 million Americans witness or experience domestic violence annually
15
25% of women attempt suicide after experiencing IPV
16
20% of men report physical violence from partners
17
50% of all homeless women experienced domestic violence
18
80-90% of IPV involves alcohol use
19
1 in 4 teen girls is abused by a boyfriend
20
33% of teens experience abusive dating relationships
21
40-50% of women who are abused are pregnant when abuse occurs
22
60% of families receiving welfare have experienced DV
23
1 in 10 high school students experienced physical violence in dating
24
13% of US adults report partner rape
25
7% of men report being made to penetrate an intimate partner
26
23% of women report severe physical violence by partner
27
14% of men report severe physical violence by partner
28
29% of US women raped or assaulted by partner as child
29
1 in 4 same-sex couples experience IPV
30
44% of lesbian women report IPV
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
In the prevalence of unhealthy intimate partner relationships, a large share of people report lifelong harm, including nearly half of both women (48.4%) and men (48.8%) experiencing psychological aggression and about one in ten women reporting intimate-partner rape.
06 · Category
Types/behaviors27 stats
01
Emotional abuse involves isolation in 80% cases
02
Gaslighting reported in 60% unhealthy relationships
03
Coercive control in 45% of DV cases
04
Financial abuse affects 99% of DV victims
05
Verbal abuse precedes physical in 70% cases
06
Stalking occurs in 76% of female homicides by partners
07
Jealousy control in 90% abusive relationships
08
Digital abuse in 25% teen relationships
09
Minimizing abuse occurs in 85% cycles
10
Blame-shifting in 65% emotional abusers
11
Threats of suicide by abusers in 30%
12
Property damage in 40% IPV incidents
13
Forced sex in 25% relationships
14
Isolation tactics in 70% coercive relationships
15
Public humiliation in 50% emotional abuse
16
Monitoring phone use in 55% abusive partners
17
Economic sabotage in 35% DV cases
18
Animal cruelty by abusers in 20%
19
Denial of abuse in 90% perpetrators
20
Cycle of tension-building in 80% battering
21
Hypercriticism in 60% unhealthy dynamics
22
Revenge porn threats in 15% digital abuse
23
Withholding affection as punishment in 45%
24
False accusations in 25% gaslighting
25
Sleep deprivation tactics in 10% control
26
Food restriction in 5% extreme abuse
27
Medical neglect in 20% abusive homes
Interpretation
Types/behaviors Interpretation
Across unhealthy relationship types and behaviors, financial abuse is nearly universal at 99% while verbal abuse tends to come first in 70% of cases, showing a pattern where control escalates through specific abusive tactics.
report visual · Breakdown
Economic and Health Impacts of Unhealthy Relationships
The burden spans major costs and widespread work, housing, and mental-health consequences.
60%
60% victims become unemployed post-abuse
40%
Education disruption in 40% child witnesses
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Unhealthy Relationship Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unhealthy-relationship-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Unhealthy Relationship Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/unhealthy-relationship-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Unhealthy Relationship Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unhealthy-relationship-statistics.
Sources & references
12 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level