Intimate
Partner Violence in the U.S. Reporting to the Police
Gender | Race | Hispanic origin
| Reasons for not reporting
Gender
Between 1994 and 2005, reporting to police of nonfatal intimate partner victimization increased
for female victims.
To view data, click on the chart.
 [D]
Note: See National Crime Victimization Survey Methodology for discussion
of estimating change in the reporting of victimizations to the police.
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Race
For the 2001 to 2005 period, the percentage of nonfatal intimate partner victimizations reported to the police was —
- higher for black females than white females.
- higher for black females than black males.
- about the same for black and white males.
 [D]
Note: Beginning in 2003 the racial categories are white/black/other "only"
and "two or more races." "Other race" includes American
Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, and Native Hawaiians/other Pacific Islanders
identifying a single racial background. See National Crime Victimization Survey Methodology in Additional Information about the data for more details.
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Hispanic origin
Between 2001 and 2005, the percentage of nonfatal intimate partner victimizations reported to the police was -
- about the same for Hispanic and non-Hispanic females.
- higher for male Hispanic victims than non-Hispanic males.
 [D]
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Reasons for not reporting
Private or personal matter was the most frequent reason given for not reporting nonfatal intimate partner violence to police. On average between 2001 and 2005, almost 40% of male and 22% of female victims gave this reason.
The reasons stated for not notifying police about the nonfatal intimate partner victimization were --
- fear of reprisal for 12% of female victims.
- to protect the offender for 14% of female and 16% of male victims.
- because the police would not do anything for 8% of female victims.
Average annual percent of reasons nonfatal intimate partner violence was not reported
to the police, by gender of the victim
|
Percent of victims who did not report the victimization |
|
|
| Reason victimizations not reported |
Female victims |
Male victims |
|
|
| Private or personal matter |
21.8 |
% |
39.2 |
% |
| Afraid of reprisal |
12.4 |
|
5.3 |
* |
| Protect offender |
14.4 |
|
15.6 |
|
| Minor crime |
8.4 |
|
8.5 |
* |
| Police will not do anything |
7.9 |
|
-- |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Police ineffectiveness |
2.7 |
|
2 |
* |
| Inconvenient |
3.4 |
|
1.4 |
* |
| Reported to another official |
3.1 |
|
-- |
* |
| Police biased |
1.3 |
* |
1.2 |
* |
| Not clear a crime occurred |
1.9 |
* |
8.6 |
* |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Don't know why I did not report it |
0.6 |
* |
1.2 |
* |
| Other reason given |
22.0 |
|
17.1 |
|
|
|
--Information is not provided because the small number of cases is insufficient for reliable estimates.
*Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.
Note: Detail may not add to 100% because victims may report more
than one reason and because of values not shown in instances when
the small number of cases in category is insufficient for reliable
estimates.
|
|
