Education & Resources
Domestic Violence also known as intimate partner Violence (IPV) is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.
What does Domestic Violence look like?
It can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
How common is Domestic Violence?
According to stats from the National DV Hotline, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the US have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Intimate partner violence alone affects more than 12 million people every year.
(Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T., Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
Men are affected too.
Does Domestic Violence affect Children?
Children witnessed violence in nearly 1 in 4 (22%) intimate partner violence cases filed in state courts.
(http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2009/BJS10007.htm)
One study found that children exposed to violence in the home were 15 times more likely to be physically and/or sexually assaulted than the national average.
(http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/BehindClosedDoor)
Does Domestic Violence only affect young children?
1 in 3 high school and 1 in 5 middle school students will experience some form of abuse by a dating partner (emotionally, physically, and sexually, harassed online, or harassed through texts by their partners.)
1 in 11 female and 1 in 15 male teens has experienced physical violence in the past year.
Some have reported some form of abuse as early as 5th and 6th grade Victims of technology/digital abuse are 2 times more likely to be physically abused, 2.5 times more likely to be psychologically abuse, and 5 times more likely to be sexually coerced.
(SAFE DATES- HAZELDEN)
Domestic Violence is not always physical.
