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Domestic Violence Statistics

Domestic Violence Statistics

One of the most common requests we receive is from students seeking statistics for their reports and from programs seeking statistics to bolster their requests for grant money and other funding. This page should point you in the right direction for finding up-to-date information covering a variety of statistical reporting on abuse issues, whether you are looking for frequently cited resources or for statistics by state.

It must be noted however, that there always remains the "gray element" in crime; that is, those incidents which occur but are never reported or are classified in ways which make it difficult to determine the true nature of the incident.

A prime example of this is domestic violence in same sex couples. Whether it's because the officer taking the report didn't know, didn't care or didn't want to "call it that", or because the parties involved were reluctant to expose the nature of the relationship, most domestic violence incidents between gays and lesbians end up classified as "assault" or "battery" - seriously skewing the true statistics and making it almost impossible to use the common statistical reports for guidance or insight into the issue.

Another often problematic example occurs when trying to extrapolate information from statistical reports where external factors play an important role, yet aren't accounted for. Any amount of research concerning victimization is bound to run into strange and misleading numbers.

An obvious example of this concerns abuse in low vs. high income families. While on the surface, it may appear that low levels of income go hand-in-hand with higher levels of domestic violence, one must keep in mind that available income has significant weight on the options available to victims. While a low-income mother with three small infants might appear on statistical reports when getting a restraining order, when entering a domestic violence shelter, or when applying for TANF services due to family violence, the white collar mother with two in college might flee to a hotel for a few weeks, file for divorce, and move back to the city where the bulk of her family resides. In these scenarios, the low-income victim shows up all over the place in various statistical reports (from the court, from the shelter, and from the social services agency) while the white collar victim only shows up on a hotel register, on a civil court docket for divorce, and in the records of the local moving business. In other words, violence against her and/or her children, while every bit as dangerous and abusive, simply doesn't exist - on anyone's official paper.

Not to People Like Us: Hidden Abuse in Upscale Marriages Not to People Like Us: Hidden Abuse in Upscale Marriages As seen on "20/20," "48 Hours," "Sally Jesse Raphael," and in People magazine: A startling exposé of domestic violence against well-educated, well-to-do women, and a powerful indictment of the social service system that fails to protect them. How is it possible for a highly educated woman with a career and resources of her own to stay in a marriage with an abusive husband? How can a man be considered a pillar of his community and regularly give his wife a black eye? The very nature of these questions proves how convinced we are that domestic violence is restricted to the lower classes. Now Susan Weitzman explores a heretofore overlooked population of battered wives-the upper-educated and upper-income women who rarely report abuse and remain trapped by their own silence.
Suffice it to say that when researching or using statistics, it's just as important to consider what the stats DON'T say, DON'T cover, or DON'T take into consideration.

With that said, check the left menu column for some of the most common sources for statistics. You'll note that with the exception of the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (which are usually current to within 6 months), most of these reports run at least two years, usually more, behind (the FBI UCR reports run on a more automated system and tracks a relatively small scope of data, whereas info for the others needs to be compiled). Also, special task forces are usually setup to research numbers on a particicular topic or covering a certain group and these may only run at 5 or even 10 year intervals due to the scope and cost of such undertakings.

If you need in-depth statistics or are seeking research summaries or reports, check under the topic areas above for research and additional reports. You can usually find crime maps and stats from your local sheriff's office.



Commonly Used Domestic Violence Citations
From the U.S. Dept. of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Violence against Women: A National Crime Victimization Survey Report, January 1994"

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Nearly 2 in 3 female victims of violence were related to or knew their attacker. (p. iii)
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Over two-thirds of violent victimizations against women were committed by someone known to them: 31% of female victims reported that the offender was a stranger. Approximately 28% were intimates such as husbands or boyfriends, 35% were acquaintances, and the remaining 5% were other relatives. (In contrast, victimizations by intimates and other relatives accounted for only 5% of all violent victimizations against men. Men were significantly more likely to have been victimized by acquaintances (50%) or strangers (44%) than by intimates or other relatives.) (p. 1)
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Almost 6 times as many women victimized by intimates (18%) as those victimized by strangers (3%) did not report their violent victimization to police because they feared reprisal from the offender. (p. 1)
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Annually, compared to males, females experienced over 10 times as many incidents of violence by an intimate. On average each year, women experienced 572,032 violent victimizations at the hands of an intimate, compared to 48,983 incidents committed against men. (p. 6)



From: "Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends, U.S. Department of Justice, March, 1998"

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Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend each year to 4 million women who are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners each year.
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While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall, women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner.
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Violence by an intimate partner accounts for about 21% of violent crime experienced by women and about 2 % of the violence experienced by men.
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31,260 women were murdered by an intimate from 1976-1996.
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Females accounted for 39% of the hospital emergency department visits for violence-related injuries in 1994 but 84% of the persons treated for injuries inflicted by intimates.



The National Domestic Violence Hotline has received more than 700,000 calls for assistance since February 1996. Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline, December 2001

It is estimated that 503,485 women are stalked by an intimate partner each year in the United States. Source: National Institute of Justice, July 2000

Studies show that child abuse occurs in 30-60% of family violence cases that involve families with children. Source: "The overlap between child maltreatment and woman battering." J.L. Edleson, Violence Against Women, February, 1999

Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. Source: Commonwealth Fund survey, 1998

About 75% of the calls to law enforcement for intervention and assistance in domestic violence occur after separation from batterers. One study revealed that half of the homicides of female spouses and partners were committed by men after separation from batterers (Barbara Hart, Remarks to the Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, April 1992)

Each year, medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $3 to $5 billion. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. Source: Domestic Violence for Health Care Providers, 3rd Edition, Colorado Domestic Violence Coalition, 1991.

From 1983 to 1991, the number of domestic violence reports received increased by almost 117%. Source: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, 1983 and 1991.

Violence is the reason stated for divorce in 22% of middle-class marriages. Source: EAP Digest November/December 1991.

Every year, domestic violence results in almost 100,000 days of hospitalizations, almost 30,000 emergency department visits, and almost 40,000 visits to a physician. Source: American Medical Association. 5 issues American Health. Chicago 1991.

Studies by the Surgeon General's office reveal that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44, more common than automobile accidents, muggings, and cancer deaths combined. Other research has found that half of all women will experience some form of violence from their partners during marriage, and that more than one-third are battered repeatedly every year. Source: Journal of American Medical Association, 1990.

Battered women seek medical attention for injuries sustained as a consequence of domestic violence significantly more often after separation than during cohabitation; about 75% of the visits to emergency rooms by battered women occur after separation (Stark and Flitcraft, 1988).

Women who leave their batterers are at 75% greater risk of severe injury or death than those who stay. Source: Barbara Hart, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1988.

It is estimated that 25% of workplace problems such as absenteeism, lower productivity, turnover and excessive use of medical benefits are due to family violence. (Employee Assistance Providers/MN)

In 92% of all domestic violence incidents, crimes are committed by men against women. Source: "Violence Against Women", Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, January, 1994.

Of women who reported being raped and/or physically assaulted since the age of 18, three quarters (76 percent) were victimized by a current or former husband, co-habitating partner, date or boyfriend. Source: "Prevalence Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey", U.S. Department of Justice, November, 1998.

In 1994, women separated from their spouses had a victimization rate 1 1/2 times higher than separated men, divorced men, or divorced women. Source: "Sex Differences in Violent Victimization", 1994, U.S. Department of Justice, September, 1997.

In 2003, among all female murder victims in the U.S., 30% were slain by their husbands or boyfriends. Source: Uniform Crime Reports of the U.S. 1996, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003 (January - June).

A child exposed to the father abusing the mother is at the strongest risk for transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next. Source: "Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family", APA, 1996

Forty percent of teenage girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend. Source: Children Now/Kaiser Permanente poll, December, 1995.

Family violence costs the nation from $5 to $10 billion annually in medical expenses, police and court costs, shelters and foster care, sick leave, absenteeism, and non-productivity. Source: Medical News, American Medical Association, January, 1992.

Husbands and boyfriends commit 13,000 acts of violence against women in the workplace every year. Source: "Violence and Theft in the Workplace", U.S. Department of Justice, July, 1994.

The majority of welfare recipients have experienced domestic abuse in their adult lives and a high percentage are currently abused. Source: Trapped by Poverty, Trapped by Abuse: New Evidence Documenting the Relationship Between Domestic Violence and Welfare, The Taylor Institute, April, 1997.

One in five female high school students reports being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. Source: Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), August 2001.

Why Summer Camp Can Be a Good Idea For Your Children

Most of us remember summer camp from our childhoods: sleeping in a cold cabin or tent, eating nasty food, being forced to swim in a freezing lake. We also remember making friends for life, the warmth of a late-night campfire and the thrill of doing things we had never done before.

Summer camp is a great way for children to learn about themselves and others. And with the enormous variety of camps on offer today, there is literally a camp out there to suit any child. Why not see if your son or daughter could benefit from attending camp?

Types of Camps
Summer camps are a way for children to learn during the summer months in a supervised programme that encourages them to both excel and enjoy themselves. They will also engage in a variety of different activities and make new friends, learn how to be more independent and try new things.

As a variety of summer camps are on offer, talk with your child in-depth to see what interests them most. Some children prefer a sleep-away camp for one or two weeks, others will want to attend day camp. Some concentrate on one specific interest or activity, such as music or drama. Others will have several different interests, offering something for everyone.

Types of camps which are available include:

* Action Camps. Many different activities are on offer, including kayaking, swimming, bowling, archery, multi-sports etc.
* Activity Camps. Offer a variety of different activities to suit your child, ranging from arts and crafts to day trips to painting to archery.
* Sports Camps. These usually concentrate on a specific sport, such as football or swimming.
* Music Camps. Most children enrol with a specific instrument in mind.
* Drama Camps. Budding actors and actresses will learn a lot from this.
* Arts and Crafts Camps. Artsy kids will love getting stuck in.
* Science Camps. For the brainy child who loves nothing better than making experiments...

Benefits of Summer Camp
Attending summer camp is much more than just learning a new skill or having fun. The vast majority of children will also gain long-lasting benefits that will stick with them for life. Many kids come back to the same camp year after year, making the experience an important building block of their childhood.

Benefits of summer camp:

* They encourage self-respect, and children learn to respect others.
* They teach tolerance of different children, different cultures, different lifestyles.
* Children are encouraged to be themselves.
* Self-esteem is enhanced, as is independence.
* Healthy lifestyles are encouraged, and health and well-being are improved.
* Camps develop creativity in children, and encourage them to try new things.

Summer camp is one topic which most children and parents agree on wholeheartedly. Whether your child chooses a residential or day camp, he or she will benefit greatly from the experience and no doubt beg you to return the following year.

Day camps start from age three, while residential camps start from age nine and above, sometimes younger. Look around to find a camp that will suit your child best, whether it be a nature, music, science or drama camp. They'll love the experience – and you'll get a break this summer as well!

NYC Recession Almost Over, Thanks to Bank Bailouts?

According to officials and experts, the city's financial crisis is almost over and the job market is on the rise, but who do we thank for the less-devastating-than-expected downturn? Address cards and flowers to the federal government, which provided huge bailouts to Wall Street institutions like Citigroup, JPMogran Chase and Goldman Sachs, economists say. “If you pick almost any economic statistic—income, house prices, construction activity—it would tell the same story: New York has gotten hit, but it hasn’t gotten creamed," Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, tells the Times.

NYC was helped more by the federal government than any other city in the country and is faring better as a direct result, sources say. On Wall Street Citigroup got a $45 billion bail out, JPMorgan Chase got $25 billion, and Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley borrowed $10 billion each. By paying thousands of top-salary jobs (and bonuses, not so sickening after all?) the cash infusions saved the city lost tax revenue and provided a "spillover effect" for the rest of us. According to the Times, there's a "widely accepted idea that each job on Wall Street supports two other in and around the city."

City officials second the motion: Mayor Bloomberg has been saying that the city may cut 100,000 fewer jobs than originally anticipated as a result of the quickly improving economy. In addition to job stats, tourism and housing prices are healthier than in other metropolitan centers.


"THAT WAS IN MARCH...SO HOW DO WE LOOK NOW"???

Is the recession almost over?

Is the recession almost over?




That seems to be the new line coming from the mainstream media. It also seems reasonable given the fact that this recession has already dragged on long enough for it to be "time" for a recovery based on statistical averages of past recessions.

The end of the recession is in sight, according to a new survey of leading economists...

The panel of 45 economists said it expects economic growth will rebound in the second half of 2009. However, the group still expects to see a decline in second-quarter economic activity.



And we hear the administration talking about "green shoots" in the economy. And consumer confidence as well as job expectations surged significantly in April. All of this would seem to support the hope that the recession is easing.

And perhaps that's the case.

But we also have the fact that, just a few days ago, the Federal Reserve updated its economic outlook to be more gloomy, not more rosy. And we have the fact that the price of homes seems to be falling faster, down almost 20% year-over-year in the first quarter of this year. Falling home prices seem to continue to be fueled by increased foreclosures; as long as we have foreclosures flooding the market prices will continue to fall. And with another large round of ARMs set to reset over the next two years , and with mortgage rates apparently starting to go up, it would seem likely that we're going to be seeing another wave of foreclosures starting later this year.

So the question is: Can we have an economic recovery while foreclosures continue to increase and home prices continue to fall?

Considering falling home prices and increasing foreclosures have been the largest contributing factors to this recession, the possibility of a recovery with those factors not resolved doesn't seem entirely probable.

In addition to increasing foreclosures, it would also seem that increasing interest rates will eventually put downward pressure on the number of people buying homes--indeed, higher interest rates drove mortgage applications down 14% last week. Combined with increased foreclosures due to ARMs resetting this would tend to leave more homes on the market which would continue to push home prices down. The Federal Reserve does not seem to be able to succeed at keeping interest rates artificially low.



"US Treasury yields rose to their highest level in six months on Wednesday, raising more worries that rising mortgage rates could damp a nascent recovery in the economy"

Traders say that while short-term yields remain stable and low thanks to intervention from the US Federal Reserve, the real action is in longer-term paper. Long-term yields are expected to move higher as the market prices in evidence of “green shoots” in the economy, the increasing US debt burden, the risk of a revival in inflation and a flood of new issuance....

But traders say it is difficult for the Fed to contain the longer-term upward trend.


All this seems to indicate that the financial position of homeowners is going to continue to worsen as their home values continue to fall.

So to answer the above question about the possibility of a recovery, we need to know the answer to this underlying question: Will Americans begin spending again even though their net worth--essentially their savings for retirement--continues to fall? That's the magic question. If the answer is "yes" then we could see a recovery. If the answer is "no" then it seems like a recovery is still wishful thinking.

Unfortunately there's no way to know the answer to this question.

The market seems to be betting on "yes" being the answer. And perhaps the market's right--perhaps people have essentially written off their losses and have just gotten used to the idea that they've lost the equity in their house. They've taken their lumps and are just going to move on.

But that only makes sense to me if the losses are in the past. But with the possibility of rising interest rates reducing future demand for houses as resetting ARMs most likely drive increasing foreclosures, it seems that we are still looking at further losses for home values. So the question becomes whether or not people are willing to start spending again while they continue to lose money in their house.

My opinion is it seems unlikely and would only make sense if people don't know they're still losing money in the value of their house. That's not impossible. It might have even been likely a few years ago when people weren't keeping a close eye on what their house was worth. But given the losses of the last couple of years it seems that most people are keeping track of what their house is worth so continued losses in home values will not go unnoticed.

As much as I'd like to be optimistic, and although a rise in consumer confidence in April is a very powerful reason to be optimistic, I think realistically we're not out of the woods yet. The current market optimism is coinciding precisely with a lull in ARM resets according to the chart above. But that's a "reset lull" that is almost over and which won't be repeated until November 2011.

The underlying economic factors that have been driving this recession have not yet improved and the threat of more ARM resets coinciding with higher interest rates due to increased government deficit spending is not a good combination. And it doesn't give us a good fundamental reason to have confidence that a recovery is around the corner.

Simple Summer Picnic Foods

Simple Summer Picnic Foods "ENJOYING SUMMER"

June, July and August are the best months of the year for an outdoor feast, filled with the perfect summer picnic foods. However, choosing what types of food to pack is an important factor in the success of an al fresco party. Pick foods that are easily portable and don't require utensils. Make sure that they aren’t drippy and that they won’t get soggy. You also want foods that don’t require heating, such as warm soups or stews. Stick with dishes that can be served at room temperature.

Here are a few excellent picnic foods for you to consider. You can take any of these ideas and adapt them to whatever you have on hand in your kitchen.
Sandwiches & Wraps

Pita pockets are a portable solution to two slices of bread. When filling the pitas remember to layer so each bite gets a little bit of the flavors. (You don’t want to eat all of the lettuce first and then all of the chicken salad.) Choose from fillings such as tuna or chicken salads, hummus and vegetables, or a mixed salad with feta cheese and olives.

French baguettes are easily eaten with two hands and very little mess. Consider making classic sandwiches such as French ham and cheese, roasted vegetables and goat cheese, or an Italian hero-style sandwich.

The tortilla is one of the world’s greatest portable sandwich materials. These are excellent for creating classic wrap sandwiches. The fillings for wraps are endless. You can take just about any meat, vegetable and cheese combination and roll it up in a tortilla.

Cold Noodle Salads

While pasta salads are traditional at picnics, why not mix it up a bit with Thai or Vietnamese-style noodle salads, or create a delicious pasta salad with a twist.

Udon noodles are one of several styles of Japanese noodles. They are thick, and can be purchased either fresh or dried. These noodles are a perfect foil for any kind of Asian-style salad that might include sesame oil, fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar and blanched vegetables such as snap peas, sliced green onions, and red or yellow bell peppers.

When making an Italian-style pasta salad use smaller, bite-sized pasta like rotini or penne. These noodles can be combined with vegetables like sautéed asparagus, fresh tomatoes, and minced garlic. To complete the salad, add a protein like cooked Italian sausage for the ultimate pasta salad. Douse with a high-quality olive oil, a little lemon juice, and plenty of fresh herbs.



Cold Pasta Salad Recipes - Over 100 Cold Pasta Salad Recipes Quick & Easy Cold Pasta Salad deliciousrecipeideas.com

Summer Vegetable Recipes - The Best Healthy Recipes From the Editors of Food & Wine www.foodandwine.com

Pasta Salads - Looking for Pasta Salads? Find exactly what you want today. Yahoo.com
Vegetable Salads

Veggies are a great way to bring freshness to your picnic. Think of classic parings like tomato, mozzarella and basil; fresh avocado mixed with diced tomatoes and garlic; or crunchy cabbage slaw with a vinaigrette dressing.
Bean and Rice Salads

Beans and rice are a traditional combination. Salads made with either or both of these ingredients are perfect for a summer picnic because they provide a wonderful background for fresh veggies and herbs. Try a combination of lentils and brown rice, or couscous with chickpeas. These salads can be easily transported in plastic containers and pair well with sandwiches and a simple dessert for a complete picnic lunch.
Fruit Salads

What summer picnic would be complete without fresh fruit? You can make your dish as simple as chopped watermelon or a more complex mixture of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries doused with mint and lemon juice. Anther popular option is cantaloupe or honeydew wedges wrapped with prosciutto.
Meats

The key to serving meats at a picnic are to ensure that they are cooked ahead of time. Choose proteins that can be served chilled or at room temperature. The meats should be served in portions that don’t need to be cut with a knife and fork. Remember--on a picnic you want to create dishes that can be eaten with hands or with just a fork to eliminate the need for too many utensils or plates.

Consider the following for meat dishes:

* Shrimp tossed with pesto
* Canned or fresh tuna mixed with olives, tomatoes, garlic, green beans and potatoes for a classic tuna nicoise salad
* Fresh fish prepared as an escabeche, which is a Spanish preparation where you sear the fish in a pan and then let it sit in a vinegary marinade that has lots of herbs and spices. The fish is then served cold with bread or tortillas.
* Chicken dishes can be a bit bland, but when prepared in less common ways, such as confit (braising the legs in olive oil), or poaching the breasts and serving them with a dipping sauce, it can be an excellent meat dish.
* For beef, grill it before the picnic and slice it into thin pieces. Serve the beef with a sauce, such as chimichurri, guacamole, or pesto.

Desserts

While fresh fruit is an easy end to a summer picnic, adding a dessert course will bring a lot of sophistication to your meal. You can make it as simple as pound cake layered with berries and whipped cream, or as complex as a dark chocolate pudding served with big marshmallows, small cookies and strawberries for a cold take on chocolate fondue.
Final Note

Summer picnic foods are best kept simple and straightforward. Don’t try and make your meal overly complex, just stick to some easy dishes that are flavorful. Remember to bring napkins and a few knives for cutting meats. Grab a couple of nice, easy-drinking bottles of white or rose wine. A couple of bottles of sparkling water will complete the meal.

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