About 736 million women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non partner sexual violence, a scale that rarely feels real until you see the health fallout. In the US, roughly 10 million people experience domestic violence each year and women make up 85% of victims, yet the most visible injuries are only part of the impact. This post connects the dots between IPV and depression, heart disease, asthma, and economic loss so you can understand what these figures mean for everyday lives.
Key Takeaways
- IPV causes depression in 48% of women victims
- Women experiencing IPV have 1.5x higher risk of heart disease
- 40-60% of battered women suffer chronic health issues like hypertension
- Men who abuse their female partners are often 18-34 years old
- 80-90% of US IPV perpetrators are male
- Abusers in the US frequently have criminal histories, with 60% having prior arrests
- Globally, 1 in 3 women (approximately 736 million women) have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime
- In the United States, about 10 million people experience domestic violence each year, with women accounting for 85% of victims
- 48.4% of women in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
- IPV costs US $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care
- Women lose 8 million paid workdays per year due to IPV in US, equivalent to $8.3 billion
- Lifetime economic cost per victim in US is $103,767 for women
- 35% of US women aged 18+ have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner
- Hispanic women in the US face IPV rates 1.27 times higher than non-Hispanic white women
- Women with disabilities are 40% more likely to experience IPV than non-disabled women
Intimate partner violence harms women’s mental and physical health, leaving millions of US victims at higher risk for serious chronic conditions.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health And Psychological Effects30 stats
01
IPV causes depression in 48% of women victims
02
Women experiencing IPV have 1.5x higher risk of heart disease
03
40-60% of battered women suffer chronic health issues like hypertension
04
IPV victims are 16% more likely to have asthma
05
PTSD prevalence among IPV women is 31-50%
06
Suicide attempt rates 2x higher in IPV victims (18.8% vs 9.3%)
07
45% of IPV victims develop anxiety disorders
08
Central nervous system arousal injuries in 92% of battered women
09
IPV during pregnancy causes low birth weight in 20% of cases
10
Arthritis rates 28% higher in IPV survivors
11
Substance abuse disorders 1.5-2x higher post-IPV
12
37% of IPV women report eating disorders
13
Chronic pain syndromes in 55-99% of battered women
14
Stroke risk 84% higher for women with severe IPV
15
Dissociative symptoms in 52% of IPV victims
16
In UK, IPV linked to 57% increase in GP visits
17
HIV/STI risk 1.5x higher due to IPV coercion
18
Sleep disturbances in 70% of IPV survivors
19
20-50% of IPV victims self-harm
20
Gastrointestinal disorders 35-76% in battered women
21
Borderline personality symptoms in 41% post-IPV
22
Reproductive health issues like miscarriages 2x higher
23
In Australia, IPV women 3x more likely to be hospitalized
24
Fear/hypervigilance persists in 80% of survivors 1 year post-separation
25
Immune system suppression leading to frequent infections in 60%
26
Dementia risk 2.6x higher in women with lifetime IPV
27
In Canada, IPV linked to 40% higher depression rates
28
Somatic symptoms (headaches, back pain) in 85% of victims
29
Alcohol dependence 3x higher in IPV women
30
Cancer risk elevated due to stress hormones in long-term survivors
Interpretation
Health And Psychological Effects Interpretation
Under the Health And Psychological Effects category, intimate partner violence is linked to major mental and physical harm, with depression reported in 48% of victims and PTSD affecting about 31% to 50%, alongside a 1.5 times higher risk of heart disease.
02 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics30 stats
01
Men who abuse their female partners are often 18-34 years old
02
80-90% of US IPV perpetrators are male
03
Abusers in the US frequently have criminal histories, with 60% having prior arrests
04
Alcohol use is involved in 25-50% of IPV incidents globally
05
US perpetrators with unemployment rates show 2x higher IPV likelihood
06
Men with controlling behaviors perpetrate 70% of severe IPV
07
In Australia, 92% of family violence perpetrators against women are male partners/ex-partners
08
Perpetrators often escalate violence post-separation, in 75% of femicides
09
US male perpetrators with PTSD have 4x IPV perpetration risk
10
Jealousy/possessiveness noted in 60% of male perpetrators' profiles
11
In the UK, 97% of domestic abuse perpetrators against women are male
12
Perpetrators with childhood abuse history perpetrate IPV 3x more
13
Drug abuse present in 40% of male IPV offenders in US
14
Male perpetrators aged 30-49 commit 50% of IPV homicides
15
In Canada, 80% of IPV perpetrators are current/former spouses
16
Perpetrators with low education perpetrate severe violence 2x more
17
Stalking behaviors in 76% of intimate partner femicide cases by perpetrators
18
Male military veterans perpetrate IPV at 1.5x civilian rate
19
In India, perpetrators are husbands in 95% of spousal violence cases
20
Perpetrators using economic abuse control 98% of victims financially
21
Antisocial personality traits in 50% of repeat IPV offenders
22
In Brazil, 89% of femicide perpetrators are intimate partners
23
Perpetrators threaten suicide in 25% of cases to manipulate victims
24
Male perpetrators with prior DV convictions reoffend in 30% within 2 years
25
In South Africa, alcohol-involved perpetrators commit 55% of assaults
26
Hypermasculinity attitudes correlate with 65% of perpetration
27
Perpetrators isolate victims socially in 80% of cases
28
In the EU, 62% of perpetrators are current partners
29
Batterer intervention programs reduce recidivism by only 33%
30
Perpetrators with animal cruelty history commit lethal IPV 5x more
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
For the Perpetrator Characteristics angle, the pattern is clear that US IPV is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men 80 to 90 percent and that these abusers are often 18 to 34 years old while factors like prior arrests 60 percent and alcohol involvement in 25 to 50 percent of incidents help explain why severe IPV can be driven by controlling behaviors that account for 70 percent of cases.
03 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
Globally, 1 in 3 women (approximately 736 million women) have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime
02
In the United States, about 10 million people experience domestic violence each year, with women accounting for 85% of victims
03
48.4% of women in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
04
Lifetime prevalence of rape among US women is 21.3%, with nearly all (98.7%) committed by someone known to the victim, often an intimate partner
05
In England and Wales, 1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse during their lifetime
06
Australian women are 3 times more likely than men to experience partner violence, with 25% of women aged 15+ reporting physical or sexual violence from a partner since age 15
07
In India, 31.9% of ever-married women aged 15-49 have experienced spousal violence
08
Globally, 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners
09
In the EU, 22% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a partner since age 15
10
In South Africa, 23% of women reported experiencing physical violence from a partner in the past 12 months
11
US women aged 18-24 years have the highest rate of IPV at 35.6% lifetime prevalence
12
In Canada, 44% of women reported experiencing at least one form of IPV since age 15
13
In Brazil, 10.6% of women aged 15+ experienced physical violence by an intimate partner in the past year
14
In the US, Black women experience IPV at a rate 35% higher than the national average
15
Globally, 6% of women experience non-partner sexual violence in the past 12 months
16
In Australia, Indigenous women are 32 times more likely to be hospitalized due to family violence than non-Indigenous women
17
In the UK, 757,000 women experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023
18
In Mexico, 41.2% of women have suffered violence from their partner
19
US lesbian women experience IPV at rates similar to heterosexual women, around 44%
20
In Kenya, 38% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since age 15
21
In the US, 1 in 15 women are victims of IPV each year
22
Globally, intimate partner violence causes 42% of female homicides
23
In Turkey, 38% of ever-married women experienced physical violence from husbands
24
In the US, 41% of women know someone who is a victim of IPV
25
In Egypt, 31% of women aged 15-49 experienced physical violence from a husband/partner
26
In the EU, 1 in 10 women experienced sexual violence since age 15
27
In Nigeria, 28% of women reported partner violence in the past year
28
In the US, women experience over 4 million physical assaults by intimate partners annually
29
In Colombia, 37.5% of women have experienced IPV
30
In the US, 91.8% of IPV victims are female
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
Across prevalence rates worldwide, about 1 in 3 women, or roughly 736 million, have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, showing that domestic abuse is a widespread reality rather than a rare occurrence.
More related reading
04 · Category
Societal And Economic Impacts30 stats
01
IPV costs US $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care
02
Women lose 8 million paid workdays per year due to IPV in US, equivalent to $8.3 billion
03
Lifetime economic cost per victim in US is $103,767for women
04
42% of women IPV victims lose jobs due to absenteeism
05
Global economic cost of violence against women is 2% of GDP
06
In Australia, family violence costs $21.7 billion annually by 2022
07
US criminal justice system spends $4.2 billion yearly on IPV
08
37% of homeless women in US cite fleeing DV as reason
09
Shelter costs in US exceed $1 billion annually for DV services
10
In UK, domestic abuse costs £66 billion over lifetime per cohort
11
Productivity losses from IPV $1.7 trillion globally per year
12
60% of food stamp recipients in US have DV history
13
Child welfare costs linked to parental IPV $2 billion yearly in US
14
In Canada, DV costs $7.4 billion annually
15
Women with IPV history 3x more likely to live in poverty
16
Emergency room visits for DV cost US $4.1 billion yearly
17
50% of workplace productivity loss from DV absenteeism/victimization
18
In India, IPV economic burden 1.4% of GDP
19
Foster care placements due to DV 30% higher costs
20
Police response to DV calls cost US $1.5 billion annually
21
In Brazil, violence against women costs 0.5% GDP
22
Legal fees for DV cases average $5,000per woman in US
23
Homelessness services for DV women $300 million yearly
24
In EU, VAW costs €366 billion yearly (2% GDP)
25
Reduced earnings for IPV women 20% lifetime loss
26
Mental health treatment for victims $5.8 billion US annual
27
Child exposure to DV increases future welfare costs 40%
28
In South Africa, GBV costs 3.7% GDP
29
Corporate losses from DV $100 million daily in US
30
Property damage from DV incidents $2.5 billion yearly
Interpretation
Societal And Economic Impacts Interpretation
Societal and economic impacts of women’s IPV are massive, with US estimates showing $8.3 billion annually in medical and mental health care and $8.3 billion in lost paid workdays, alongside a lifetime cost of $103,767 per victim, demonstrating how violence strains both public health and the workforce.
05 · Category
Victim Demographics30 stats
01
35% of US women aged 18+ have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner
02
Hispanic women in the US face IPV rates 1.27 times higher than non-Hispanic white women
03
Women with disabilities are 40% more likely to experience IPV than non-disabled women
04
Pregnant women in the US experience IPV at rates up to 8% during pregnancy
05
Low-income women in the US are twice as likely to experience IPV
06
Rural women in the US report IPV victimization at 22.6%, higher than urban 20.9%
07
Women aged 18-34 in the UK are most likely to experience domestic abuse, at 9.6%
08
Indigenous women in Canada experience IPV at rates 2.5 times higher than non-Indigenous women
09
Women with children under 18 are more likely to stay in abusive relationships, 60% vs 40% without
10
Bisexual women in the US experience IPV at 61.1% lifetime rate, highest among orientations
11
Elderly women over 65 in the US experience 3.2% annual IPV rate
12
Women in the US military experience IPV at rates 4% higher than civilians
13
Transgender women face IPV at 31-50% lifetime prevalence
14
Women with lower education levels (<high school) have 2x IPV risk
15
In Australia, women born overseas experience family violence at higher rates, 17% vs 10% Australian-born
16
US immigrant women face IPV barriers due to visa dependency, affecting 50% seeking help
17
Women in polygamous marriages in parts of Africa report 2-3x higher IPV rates
18
Divorced/separated women in US have 12.6% past-year IPV vs 2.5% married
19
Women with mental health issues pre-IPV are 2x more likely to be victimized
20
In India, women in urban areas report 25% IPV vs 29% rural
21
US women aged 35-49 peak at 14.8% severe physical IPV lifetime
22
Single mothers in the UK experience domestic abuse at 18%, highest group
23
Women with PTSD history have 3x IPV revictimization risk
24
In South Africa, unemployed women report 40% IPV prevalence
25
US college women experience 27% IPV rate
26
Women in same-sex relationships face similar IPV rates but underreport by 50%
27
In Brazil, women heads of household experience 15% higher IPV
28
US Asian women have lower reported IPV (13.5%) but higher underreporting
29
Women with substance use disorders experience IPV 3-5x more
30
In the EU, young women 18-29 report 13% partner violence
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
Across victim demographics, the data show stark differences such as low-income women being twice as likely to experience IPV and women with disabilities being 40% more likely, underscoring that intimate partner violence disproportionately affects certain groups.
report visual · Breakdown
Health Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
IPV is associated with a wide range of mental and physical health harms for women.
48%
IPV causes depression in 48% of women victims
52%
Dissociative symptoms in 52% of IPV victims
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
Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Women Domestic Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-domestic-violence-statistics
MLA
Christopher Morgan. "Women Domestic Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/women-domestic-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Women Domestic Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-domestic-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level