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Contents of Intimate Partner Violence in the U.S.

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· Definitions
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Intimate Partner Violence in the U.S.

Circumstances

Type of crime | Time | Place | Alcohol and drugs |
Presence of weapons | Location of residence (urban, suburban, rural)

Type of crime

For nonfatal intimate partner violence, as for violent crime in general, simple assault is the most common type of violent crime.

The long term trend for female victims of nonfatal intimate partner violence shows that between 1993 and 2005 —

  • the rate of simple assault declined by about two-thirds.

  • the rate of aggravated assault declined by two-thirds.

To view data, click on the chart.

Intimate partner victimization rate for females by type of crime, 2001-2005[D]

On average between 2001 and 2005, females experienced higher rates of nonfatal intimate partner violence than males in each type of crime.

To view data, click on the chart.

Average annual rate of intimate partner victimization by crime type, 2001-2005[D]


     See Intimate homicides in Homicide Trends in the U.S.

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Time

Nonfatal intimate partner violence is more likely to occur between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

  • Females and males experienced nonfatal intimate partner victimization at similar times during the day and night.
Average annual number and percent distributions of time of incident for nonfatal intimate partner violence, by gender of victim, 2001-2005
Average annual

Number Percent

Female victims
Daytime (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) 192,425 37.7 %
Nighttime (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) 302,485 59.2
Don't know 10,775 2.1
Male victims
Daytime (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) 38,360 36.6 %
Nighttime (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) 62,070 59.2
Don't know 4,390 4.2

Note: Detail may not add to total due to rounding.

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Place

On average between 2001 and 2005 —

  • the majority of nonfatal intimate partner victimizations occurred at home; approximately two-thirds of females and males were victimized at home.

  • about 11% of female and 10% of male victims of nonfatal intimate partner violence were victimized at a friend's or neighbor's home.
Average annual number and percent distribution of location of incident for nonfatal intimate partner violence, by gender of victim, 2001-2005

Average annual

Number Percent

Female victims 510,970 100 %
Victim's home 319,945 62.6
Near victim's home 48,075 9.4
Friend/neighbor's home 56,920 11.1
Commercial place 17,305 3.4
Parking lot or garage 21,535 4.2
School 9,750 1.9
Open area/street/public place 23,575 4.6
Other 13,870 2.7
       
Male victims 104,820 100 %
Victim's home 63,075 60.2
Near victim's home 9,915 9.5
Friend/neighbor's home 10,660 10.2
Commercial place 6,245 6
Parking lot or garage 4,295 4.1
School 570 0.5 *
Open area/street/public place 4,730 4.5
Other 5,330 5.1

*Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.
Note: Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

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Alcohol and drugs

On average between 2001 and 2005 —

  • the presence of any alcohol or drugs was reported by victims in about 42% of all nonfatal intimate partner violence.

  • victims reported that approximately 8% of all nonfatal intimate partner victimizations occurred when a perpetrator was under the influence of both alcohol and drugs.

  • female and male victims of nonfatal intimate partner violence were equally likely to report the presence of alcohol during their victimization.

  • female and male victims of nonfatal intimate partner violence both reported their attacker was under the influence of drugs in about 6% of all victimizations.

To view data, click on the chart.

Average annual percent of intimate partner victimizations by offender alcohol and drug use and victim gender, 2001-2005[D]

Note: Responses are based on perception of victim as to whether offender used alcohol or drugs.

 

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Presence of weapons

On average between 2001 and 2005, for nonfatal intimate partner violence —

  • male victims were more likely than female victims to face an offender armed with a weapon.

  • female victims were more likely than male victims to face an offender armed with a firearm.

  • about 6% of female and 10% of male victims faced an offender armed with a sharp weapon, such as a knife.
Average annual number and percent distribution of type of weapon used in incidents where victim faced an armed offender, by gender, 2001-2005

Average annual number and percent of weapons used in nonfatal intimate partner violence

Female Male


Number Percent Number Percent

Total intimate partner victims 510,970 100 % 104,820 100 %
             
  No weapon present 411,140 80.5 71,825 68.5
  Weapon present 79,715 15.6 29,430 28.1
    Firearm 18,485 3.6 515 0.5
    Sharp weapon 28,625 5.6 10,350 9.9
    Blunt objects 32,605 6.4 18,560 17.7
  Do not know if offender
   had weapon
20,120 3.9 3,565 3.4

Note: The firearms category includes handguns, other guns, and incidents where the gun type was unknown. Sharp objects include knives and any other sharp objects. Blunt objects include other weapon types and those classified as a blunt object. The "other" weapon category refers to items not generally considered weapons but that were used as a weapon such bottles, rocks, and sticks.

The number of female and male nonfatal intimate partner victims killed with guns has fallen. For female victims, the number of intimate partner victims killed by other weapons has remained stable.

Intimate homicide victims by type of weapon, 1976-2004 [D]

See Intimate homicide in Homicide Trends in the U.S.

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Location of residence (urban, suburban, rural)

On average between 2001 and 2005 —

  • males and females living in urban areas reported the highest levels of nonfatal intimate partner violence.

  • males and females residing in rural and suburban areas were equally likely to experience nonfatal intimate partner violence.
Average annual rate of nonfatal intimate partner violence, by location of residence, 2001-2005

Female Male

Urban 5.5 1.4
Suburban 3.5 0.7
Rural 3.9 0.8

Intimate homicides made up a larger percentage of murders in rural areas than in suburban or urban areas.

Percent of all homicides involving intimates by urban, suburban, and rural area, 1976-2005[D]

See Trends by city size in Homicide Trends in the U.S.

 

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Page last revised on December 19, 2007