Develop a plan with your children
Arrange to have a place to go
Make copies of important papers and put them in a safe place
Have important phone numbers available
Pack and hide an overnight bag
Put aside money and spare keys
 

THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE

Intimate Partner Violence is more common in our communities than many imagine.  According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, over 25% of women (and just under 8% of men) reported being physically or sexually assaulted or stalked by an intimate partner at some point during their lives (Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence.  Washington, DC.: US Department of Justice; 2000 (pg 8)).

Annually, we estimate that approximately 1.8 % of women (roughly 1.8 million women across the US) experience physical or sexual violence or are stalked by an intimate partner.  Approximately 1% of men (or just over 1 million men) also report IPV victimization.  (Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence.  Washington, DC.: US Department of Justice; 2000 (pg 8)).

Findings from the National Violence Against Women survey confirm other research that suggest that women experience more intimate partner violence – and report more severe violence – than men.  Women were two to three times more likely than men to report having an intimate partner throw something at them, push them, shove them, or grab them.    Furthermore, they were 7 to 14 times more likely to report being beaten up, strangled, threatened with a knife or gun, or the victim of an attempted drowning than men.  (Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence.  Washington, DC.: US Department of Justice; 2000 (pg 17)).

Women are also more likely to report being injured by an intimate partner than men.  The National Violence Against Women survey found that women who were physically assaulted by an intimate partner were more than twice as likely as men to report being injured during their most recent assault.  (Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence.  Washington, DC.: US Department of Justice; 2000 (pg 41)).

Intimate partner violence costs our communities tremendously.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the cost of IPV exceed $5.8 billion each year, nearly $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical or mental health costs to victims.  (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.  Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States.  Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003 pg 2).