Facts About Abuse

Did you know…

• All physical abuse starts with emotional abuse.  90% of the scars left from physical abuse, are emotional scars.
• According to FBI Reports, 1 in 4 women suffer abuse at some time in their life.
• A woman is beaten every 15 seconds.  Over 3 million women are beaten every year.
• Battering is the single major cause of injury to women in the U.S.  20% of all hospital emergency room visits by women are attributed to wife beating.  70% of all emergency room assault cases are wives.
• 4,000 women die each year as a result of beatings, more than auto accidents, muggings, rapes and strangers COMBINED.
• 50% of female deaths are committed by the man who said “Until death do us part.”
• 75% of all female related homicides from domestic violence happen after a woman leaves.
  

You don’t think it will happen to you?

• Violent families are found in every income category, ethnic back ground, racial group, educational level and profession.
• Approximately 1/3 of the men counseled for battering, are professional men who are well respected in their jobs and their communities.  This includes doctors, psychologist, lawyers, ministers and business executives.
• Between 30% - 50% of female high school students report having already experienced teen dating violence.
  

You don’t think it is a problem?

• 70% of families where wife abuse occurs includes the abuse of children.
• Between 1.5 to 3 million children witness domestic violence annually. 
• 600,000 children are physically, emotionally and sexually abused in violent homes.
• 60% of violent homes where the female partner is beaten, so are the children
• More children are served in women’s shelters than woman. 
• 70% of all batterers grew up in violent homes.  Boys who grew up in violent homes are more likely to grow up to be abusive partners as adults.  If men were to get involved in the fight against abuse, it could end. 
• 60% of men 18 - 22, incarcerated for homicide are convicted of killing their mother’s batters.