Domestic Violence Statistics

Domestic violence has become a growing problem throughout the United States, including in Pennsylvania. This has lead to an increase in arrests for assault. However, many people still feel like there’s a stigma attached to it and, therefore, don’t take the proper steps to report these crimes and get these dangerous individuals off the streets. Understanding just how common domestic violence is can help you step forward and get the help you need.

National Domestic Violence Statistics

On a national level, the statistics are alarming, which is cause for concern over the direction of this country. According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, one woman is assaulted every nine seconds. That’s an astonishing number of women every day who are subjected to domestic violence! Some other notable statistics on are just as shocking and give a clear picture as to the severity of this problem. For instance:

• As many as 20 people per minute are subjected to physical abuse from their intimate partners. These are often the most dangerous situations, but among the most difficult to get out of.
• One in three women are victims of domestic violence, while one in four men have been victimized.
• One in five women and one in seven men have experienced severe physical violence from a partner.
• About 19 percent of all domestic violence cases involve a weapon.
• The presence of a gun increases the risk of homicide by more than 500 percent.
• Only 34 percent of domestic violence victims seek medical attention.
• Men are less likely to seek help for domestic violence than women.

There is plenty of help available for those who are the victims of domestic violence. The good news is many people do reach out for the help they need. On an average day, there are more than 20,000 calls that come into domestic violence hotlines across the country. Unfortunately, this is still just a small percentage of the individuals who are affected by domestic violence.

Pennsylvania Domestic Violence Statistics

In the state of Pennsylvania, statistics reflect a similar problem in the state. Per a publication by the NCADV, there were nearly 92,000 victims in the state between June 2006 and July 2007. The following statistics further illustrate the severity of the problem in the state.

• In 2006, 64 women were killed as a result of domestic violence situations.
• More than 3,000 of these domestic violence cases involved rape.

There were also many people who did reach out for help as a result of these actions. In fact, the state filed more than 39,000 orders of protection in an attempt to stop the cycles of abuse. Because Pennsylvania is home to the largest rural population in the country, half of their cases take place in these rural environments, requiring the need for more public awareness.

Unfortunately, in the state of Pennsylvania, funding for the domestic violence programs has been greatly reduced over the years. This means despite the amount of education individuals have had regarding domestic violence, people who are ready to reach out for help aren’t going to be able to get the assistance they need. While the government is working hard to restore funding and help as many domestic violence victims as possible.