October is sexual and domestic violence awareness month

Nationally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men suffer physical violence at the hands of a loved one. And every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Overlooked and underreported, sexual and domestic violence affects victims, families, friends, and our community – and it doesn’t discriminate.

 After sexual assault, it’s hard to know how to react. You may be physically hurt, emotionally drained, or unsure what to do next. You may be considering working with the criminal justice system, but are unsure of where to start. Learning more about what steps you can take following sexual violence can help ground you in a difficult time. If you or someone you know is a survivor of abuse, there is hope and help through the Arizona Sexual and Domestic Violence Services Helpline at 800-762-6400 or helpline@acesdv.org.

Additional statistics about Domestic and Sexual assault:

• More than 1 in 3 women (35.6%) and more than 1 in 4 men (28.5%) in the U.S. report having experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (source)
• Nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this adds up to more than 10 million women and men. (source)
• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime. (source)
• In 15 states, more than 40% of all homicides of women in each state involved intimate partner violence. (source)
• 85% of domestic violence victims are female, and 15% are male. (source)
• Women with disabilities have a 40% greater risk of intimate partner violence, especially severe violence, than women without disabilities. (source)
• 2 in 5 gay or bisexual men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes. (source)
• Nearly half of all women and men in the US will experience psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (source)
• Approximately 5 million children are exposed to domestic violence every year. Children exposed are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit sexual assault crimes. (source)
• 40% of The Center for Violence-Free Relationships’ domestic violence cases have children under 18 in the home. (source)
• Nationally, 50% of batterers who abuse their intimate partners also abuse their children. (source)
• Worldwide, men who were exposed to domestic violence as children are 3-4x more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence as adults. (source)
• 81% of women and 35% of men who experienced rape, stalking, or physical violence by an intimate partner reported significant short- or long-term impact such as post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and injury. (source)
• 4% of high school students report being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the last 12 months. (source)
• Only 1 out of 3 people who are injured during a domestic violence incident will ever receive medical care for their injuries. (source)
• Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to police. (source)
• Men who are victimized are substantially less likely than women to report their situation to police. (source)

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Executive_Summary-a.pdf:  1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men suffer physical violence at the hands of a loved one.

https://www.rainn.org/statistics: Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.

Other stats:  https://www.socialsolutions.com/blog/domestic-violence-statistics-2018/