In the US, a women is beaten every 9 seconds by her husband, boyfriend or live-in partner (First Comprehensive National Health Survey of American Women, The Commonwealth Fund, 1993).
Two-thirds of attacks on women are committed by someone the victim knows, often a husband or boyfriend (Violence Against Women: A National Crime Victimization Survey Report, US Department of Justice, 1994).
Forty-two percent of murdered women are killed by their intimate male partners (Uniform Crime Reports data, 1999-91, as analyzed by the Center for the Study of Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado at Boulder).
The US Department of Justice estimates that 95% of assaults on spouses or ex-spouses are committed by men against women (Douglas, H., Assessing Violent Couples, Families in Society, 1991).
Between 15% to 25% of pregnant women are battered (Evan Stark and Anne Flitcraft, 1992).
Up to 50% of all Homeless women and children in the US are fleeing domestic violence (Elizabeth Schneider, Legal Reform Efforts for Battered Women, 1990).
As violence against women becomes more frequent and more severe in the home, children experience a 300% increase in physical violence by the male batterer (M. Straus and R. Gelles, Physical Violence in American Families, 1990).
Virginia Facts
Every 18 minutes a women seeks help from a domestic violence program (Virginia Department of Social Services Spouse Abuse Program FY 94/95).
In Virginia, 31% of battered women and their children seeking shelter from domestic violence programs are turned away due to lack of space (Virginia Department of Social Services Spouse Abuse Program FY 94/95).
In 1993, 68% of women and girls murdered in Virginia were killed by a family member or friend (Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Pre/post Sentencing Reports).
Approximately 40% of battered women calling the Virginia Family Violence Hotline are seeking shelter or needing to relocate to another city or state for safety reasons (Virginians Against Domestic Violence, 94/95).
A lack of food, housing or income is sighted by 21% of battered women calling the Virginia Family Violence Hotline as a barrier to successfully leaving and staying away from abusive partners (Virginians Against Domestic Violence, 94/95).
Virginians Against Domestic Violence 1-800-838-8238
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