By conservative estimates, 1.5 million women in the United States are assaulted by their intimate partners every year. In the United States, a woman is more likely to be assaulted, injured, raped or killed by a male partner than by any other type of assault. Alabama reflects national statistics. For this reason, female pronouns are used on this web site to refer to victims. Having a verbally abusive partner was the variable most likely to predict that a woman would be victimized by an intimate partner.
Domestic violence is a crime.
The state of Alabama passed new legislation in 2000 which names domestic violence as a separate crime in the criminal code and stiffens penalties for abusers. Summary of Domestic Violence as a Crime Law Summary of Holding Period Bill Domestic violence is still a hidden crime. Most domestic violence is not reported to the police. Only one-fourth of all physical assaults against women by intimates were reported to police, according to a national survey. Domestic violence is damaging physically and emotionally.