Intimate 

Partner 

Violence

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (IPV), 

often called domestic violence, is generally 

described as abuse within the context 

of an intimate relationship,* where one 

partner asserts power and control over 

the other. While legal definitions vary by 

state, IPV can include physical, sexual, and 

psychological abuse, as well as economic 

coercion. It affects millions of individuals 

in our country regardless of marital status, 

sexual orientation, race, age, religion, 

education, or economic status. Because of 

the seriousness of the crime, the effects on 

victims and their families, and the difficulties 

in the criminal justice system response, 

victims of IPV may require sustained 

resources, including: access to emergency 

shelter, as well as housing assistance; 

protection orders and safety planning; 

support groups; and financial assistance. 

NOTE: CDC data from 2011; remaining data from 

2014. Hover for data hyperlinks to source material. 

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

vs

31.5% of women experience physical violence

by an intimate partner in their lifetime, and

22.3% experience an act of severe violence A

27.5% of men experience physical violence,

and 14.0% experience severe violence A 

In their lifetime, of women who are victims of: 

A

> Rape: 45.4% are raped by an intimate 

partner 

> Other sexual violence: 36.0% are 

victimized by an intimate partner

> Stalking: 60.8% are stalked by an 

intimate partner

Of IPV victims:

> 71.1% of women and 58.2% of men

first experience IPV before age 25 A

> 23.2% of women and 14.1% of men

first experience IPV before age 18 A

In their lifetime, of men who are victims of:

A

> Rape: 29.0% are raped by an intimate 

partner 

> Other sexual violence: 40.7% are 

victimized by an intimate partner

> Stalking: 43.5% are stalked by an 

intimate partner

Of high school students: 

> 10.3% experience physical 

violence by a boyfriend or girlfriendH

> 10.4% experience sexual dating 

violence H

Nearly half of both women and men experience 

1 or more acts of psychological aggression

by an intimate partner**A

The most common forms of physical violence by an 

intimate partner against both women (29.7%) and 

men (25.5%) are being slapped, pushed, or shoved A

Percentage of IPV victims by sex and 

consequence to victim of violence 

A

6.9

23.7

5.2

20.0

9.1

8.8

3.3

2.8

20.7

1.3

4.8

5.2

4.0

1.7

3.6

Fearful

Concerned for safety

1+ PTSD symptom

Missed work/school

Need legal services

Need housing services

Need victim 

advocate services

Need crisis services

Became pregnant

Contracted sexually 

transmitted infection

Women

Men

3.5

Physically injured 13.4

1.0
National Crime Victimization Survey

> Intimate partners commit 10.1% of homicides C 

> 13.6% of state and 10% of federal firearms application 

rejections were due to a domestic violence misdemeanor 

conviction or restraining order D

> 28.2% of IPV victims receive assistance from a 

victim service agency G C

Intimate partners perpetrate 

11.8% of violent crimes G

Unreported (38.3%)

Reports to 

Law Enforcement: B

Reported (57.9%)

Unknown (3.7%)

unreported reported unknown

Domestic violence victims make up > 1/3 of 

victim compensation assault claimants, 

or roughly 1/6 of all claimants E

assault dv unimpaired

LGBTQH

Intimate Partner Violence continued

NOTES

*Intimate partner includes current or former: 

spouse, common-law spouse, domestic partner, 

or girlfriend/boyfriend, regardless of cohabitation 

status. 

**Psychological aggression includes expressive 

aggression (e.g., name-calling, insulting or 

humiliating someone) and coercive control 

(behaviors that are intended to monitor, control, or 

threaten someone). 

SOURCES

A Mathew J. Breiding et al., Prevalence and 

Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and 

Intimate Partner Violence Victimization—National 

Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 

United States, 2011, (Atlanta, GA: Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, 2014), http://

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6308.pdf

B Bureau of Justice Statistics, Violent Victimizations 

by Victim-Offender Relationship and Reporting 

to the Police, 2014, http://www.bjs.gov/index.

cfm?ty=nvat

C Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the 

United States, 2014, (Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Justice, 2015), https://www.fbi.gov/

about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-inthe-u.s.-2014

D Ronald J. Frandsen et al., Background Checks 

for Firearm Transfers, 2012—Statistical Tables, 

(Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. 

Department of Justice, 2014), http://www.bjs.gov/

content/pub/pdf/bcft12st.pdf

E National Association of Crime Victim 

Compensation Boards, “Crime Victim 

Compensation: An Overview,” (Alexandria, VA), 

http://www.nacvcb.org/index.asp?bid=14

F Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, 

and HIV-Affected Intimate Partner Violence in 

2014, (NY: National Coalition of Anti-Violence 

Programs, 2015), http://www.avp.org/storage/

documents/2014_IPV_Report_Final_wBookmarks_10_28.pdf

G Jennifer L. Truman and Lynn Langton, Criminal

Victimization, 2014, (Washington, DC: Bureau 

of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 

2015), http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv14.

pdf

H Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System online 

analysis tool, (Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention), http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/

QuestionsOrLocations.aspx?CategoryId=C1

634,610 violent IPV victimizations

or 2.4/1,000 people,

G

perpetrated against

319,950 IPV victims G

2,166 incidents of IPV

against LGBTQH people

(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected)

reported to local anti-violence programs F

These IPV victims, where orientation is known, identified as:F

> 49% gay

> 20% lesbian

> 12% bisexual

> 12% heterosexual

> 4% queer

> 2% self-identified

> 1% questioning

> 55% of victims report to 

law enforcement F

> 15 people were killed by 

their intimate partner F