OVER 3,300,000 CHILDREN
The number of children in the U.S. exposed to domestic violence every year. Research indicates that exposure to domestic violence can have serious and ongoing negative effects on a child's development.

 

CHILDREN WHO WITNESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to exhibit behavior and physical health problems including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers. They are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution and commit sexual assault crimes.

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RISK OF INJURY OF DEATH
Children are likely to attempt to intervene when they witness domestic violence against their mother - which places the child at great risk of injury or death.

UP TO 60%

Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence also suffer from abuse or neglect at rates up to 60%.

YOUNG GIRLS

Without help, young girls who witness domestic violence are more vulnerable themselves to future abuse as teens and adults. 

YOUNG BOYS

Without help, young boys who witness domestic violence are far more likely to become abusers themselves, continuing the cycle of violence into another generation.

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DEPRESSION

37% of women who experience domestic violence have symptoms of depression.

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ABUSE

In a National survey of more than 6,000 families, 50% of men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.

 

FUTURE VICTIMS 

A child's exposure to domestic violence seems to pose the greatest independent risk for being the victim of any act or use violence as an adult.

EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to believe that using violence is an effective means of getting one's needs met and managing conflict in close relationships.

JUVENILE CRIME

Children exposed to abusive parenting, harsh and erratic discipline, or domestic violence are an increased risk of juvenile crime.

PROBLEMS IN SEEKING HELP

Young people experience particular obstacles to seeking help. They often do not have access to money, transportation or youth services. They must overcome issues such as distrust of adults, lack of knowledge about available resources, or pressure from peers and parents

CHILDREN LIVING IN RURAL AREAS

Children exposed to domestic violence who live in rural areas face additional barriers, challenges and unique circumstances, along with their mothers, including: Geographical isolation, lack of public transportation, shortages of health care providers, poverty, under-insurance or lack of health insurance, difficulty ensuring confidentiality in small communities and decreased access to many resources (such as advanced education, job opportunities, and adequate childcare).

BABIES 

'Family partnership' found that children whose parents did not participate in home visitation programs that provides coaching in parenting skills, advice and support, were almost 5 times more likely to be abused in their first 2 years of life.

CHILDREN

More than 50% of women victims of domestic violence live in households with children under 12 years old.

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A child witnessed violence in 22% (nearly 1 in 4) of intimate partner violence cases filed in state courts.

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30 to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household.

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There is a common link between domestic violence and child abuse. Among victims of child abuse, 40% report domestic violence in the home (from a WORLD REPORT).

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One study in North America found that children who were exposed to violence in the home were 15 times more likely to be physically and/or sexually assaulted than the national average.

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The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.

MOTHERS - AGES 12 TO 18 

1 in 8 adolescent mothers between the ages of 12 to 18 report having been physically assaulted by the father of the children during the preceding year.

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DATING VIOLENCE

The use of physical force on a date, usually accompanied by fury or outrage: Physical force unlawfully exercised with the intent to harm.

 

STATUTORY RAPE

Unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under the age of consent (as defined by state statute) regardless of whether it is 'against that person's will.

 

YOUTH DATING VIOLENCE

Many youth are involved in dating relationships and these relationships can include the same kind of domestic violence and dating violence seen in the adult population. More than 40% of all incidents of domestic violence involve people who are not married.

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS

A study of middle school girls reported that over 25% stated they had been victims of dating violence, including 8% consisting of sexual abuse.

 

GIRLS UNDER 18

Youth under the age of 18, account for 67% of all sexual assault victimization's reported to law enforcement.

 

1 IN 3 TEEN DATING

Physical aggression occurs in 1 in 3 teen dating relationships.

 

TEENS

50% to 80% of teens reported knowing someone in a violent relationship.

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In a nationwide survey, 9.4% of high school students report being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the 12 months prior to the survey.

About 1 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 7 men who ever experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, first experienced some form of partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age.

More than a quarter of male victims of completed rape (28%) were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger (by any perpetrator).

About 35% of women who were raped as minors also were raped as adults compared to 14% of women without an early rape history.

Most female victims of completed rape (9.6%) experienced their first rape before the age of 25; 42.2% experienced their first completed rape before the age of 18 years.

One in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence from a dating partner in the past year.

Most female and male victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner (69% of female victims, 53% of male victims) experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before 25 years of age.

43% of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors including physical, sexual, tech, verbal or controlling abuse.

Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) college women say they have been in an abusive dating relationship.

52% of college women report knowing a friend who has experienced violent and abusive dating behaviors including physical, sexual, tech, verbal or controlling abuse.

More than half (57%) of college students who report experiencing dating violence and abuse said it occurred in college.

58% of college students say they don’t know what to do to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse.

38% of college students say they don’t know how to get help for themselves if they were a victim of dating abuse.

More than half of all college students (57%) say it is difficult to identify dating abuse.

1 in 3 (36%) dating college students has given a dating partner their computer, email, or social network passwords and these students are more likely to experience digital dating abuse.

1 in 5 college women has been verbally abused by a dating partner.

1 in 6 (16%) college women has been sexually abused in a dating relationship.

1 in 4 dating teens is abused or harassed online or through texts by their partners.

Victims of digital abuse and harassment are 2 times as likely to be physically abused, 2.5 times as likely to be psychologically abused, and 5 times as likely to be sexually coerced.

Nearly 1 in 10 teens in relationships report to having a partner tamper with their social networking account (the most frequent form of harassment or abuse).

Only 1 in 5 victims say they experienced digital abuse or harassment at school and during school hours (most takes place away from school grounds).

About 84% of victims are psychologically abused by their partners, half are physically abused, and one-third experiences sexual coercion.
 

Only 4% experience digital abuse and harassment alone. So social media, texts, and e-mails don’t seem to invite new abuse, they just provide abusive partners with a new tool.

 

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

Approximately 20% of female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.