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Facts and Statistics About Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pattern of escalating abusive, controlling and violent behavior toward a partner in an intimate relationship.

Domestic violence can occur in intimate relationships between people of any age, ethnic group, profession, religious affiliation, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation, whether or not they are married or living together. Abuse is NOT more or less common in same sex, queer or transgender relationships.

Abuse can happen on a regular basis or only sporadically. Abusers will sometimes even threaten to harm themselves as a way of making victims feel guilty.

Statistics

• According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), domestic violence will affect 1 in 3 women at some point in their lifetime, and 1 in 4 experience severe physical violence. 44% of lesbian women experience violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. And 1 in 4 gay men and 1 in 3 bisexual men experience intimate partner violence. Our SafeLink statewide hotline currently answers nearly 100 calls a day from survivors, their family and friends, co-workers and professionals.
• In Massachusetts, a one-day survey conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence on September 6, 2023 found that 750 adults and children found refuge in domestic violence emergency or transitional shelter or housing programs. In addition, 1,228 adults and children received some form of non-residential supportive services to address the domestic violence in their lives. There were 463 unmet requests for services reported, of which 49% were for housing.
• The CDC estimates that the average lifetime cost associated with domestic violence in the US is $103,767 for women and $23,414 for men. This includes medical services, lost productivity and time off from work, criminal justice fees, and more.

Facts and Statistics About Dating Violence

Dating violence involves a pattern of control and power exerted over a dating partner.

Teen dating violence is not “domestic violence lite” and can be just as serious and violent as abuse within an adult relationship. Abusive relationships can begin at your very first dating experience and can affect how you interact in relationships for the rest of your life.

There are many similarities between domestic violence and teen dating violence. Both situations are based on power and control: abusive behaviors can become a pattern, which becomes a cycle that is harder and harder to break no matter your age. Abuse can be physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or financial and affects people regardless of their race, ethnicity, class, education, religion, or sexual orientation.

But there are unique differences between teen relationships and adult relationships, including:

1. “Teen relationships” are often hard to define. A wide range of terms applies to different dating situations, from hook-ups to “friends with benefits” to casual group hang-outs. Abuse can occur in any of these situations. However, teens may not identify abuse in these relationships because they are more casual.
2. Teenagers often feel disconnected from supportive adult relationships, and may be reluctant to seek any help from adults where trust is not established. Teens may not feel comfortable speaking to an adult about their relationship or even disclosing it. Research shows they are more likely to speak to a friend first. That’s why it’s so important for teens to learn about the warning signs of abuse and the resources available to them.
3. Teens who are new to dating may enter into relationships with preconceived ideas they have picked up from popular culture and the media (including TV, movies, and the Internet) that can cause them to romanticize abusive behavior.
4. It can be harder for teenagers to get away from an abuser because of limited mobility, such as the lack of a car, a driver’s license, or income. Overlapping circles of friends can also be an issue. If a teen is at the same school and shares the same friends as their abuser, it makes it difficult to avoid the abusive behavior. Breaking up and staying away from the abuser can feel very difficult or impossible.

Statistics

• According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2019, about 1 in 12 U.S. high school students experienced physical dating violence, and about 1 in 12 experienced sexual dating violence.
• According to Love is Respect, girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, almost triple the national average.