ATLANTA — It’s a startling number: 1 in 4 women surveyed by the government say they were violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends.
Experts in domestic violence don’t find it too surprising, although some aspects of the survey may have led to higher numbers than are sometimes reported.
Even so, a government official who oversaw the research called the results “astounding.”
“It’s the first time we’ve had this kind of estimate” on the prevalence of intimate partner violence, said Linda Degutis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The survey, released by the CDC Wednesday, marks the beginning of a new annual project to look at how many women say they’ve been abused.
One expert called the new report’s estimate on rape and attempted rape “extremely high” — with 1 in 5 women saying they were victims. About half of those cases involved intimate partners. No documentation was sought to verify the women’s claims, which were made anonymously.
But advocates say the new rape numbers are plausible.
“It’s a major problem that often is underestimated and overlooked,” said Linda James, director of health for Futures Without Violence, a San Francisco-based organization that advocates against domestic abuse.
The CDC report is based on a randomized telephone survey of about 9,000 women and 7,400 men.
Among the findings:
• As many as 29 million women say they have suffered severe and frightening physical violence from a boyfriend, spouse or other intimate partner. That includes being choked, beaten, stabbed, shot, punched, slammed against something or hurt by hair-pulling.
• That number grows to 36 million if slapping, pushing and shoving are counted.
• Almost half of the women who reported rape or attempted rape said it happened when they were 17 or younger.
• As many as 1 in 3 women have experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes, compared to about 1 in 10 men.
• Both men and women who had been menaced or attacked in these ways reported more health problems. Female victims, in particular, had significantly higher rates of irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping.
• Certain states seemed to have higher reports of sexual violence than others. Alaska, Oregon and Nevada were among the highest in rapes and attempted rapes of women, and Virginia and Tennessee were among the lowest.
Several of the CDC numbers are higher than those of other sources. For example, the CDC study suggests that 1.3 million women have suffered rape, attempted rape or had sex forced on them in the previous year. That statistic is more than seven times greater than what was reported by a Department of Justice household survey conducted last year.
The CDC rape numbers seem “extremely high,” but there may be several reasons for the differences, including how the surveys were done, who chose to participate and how “rape” and other types of assault were defined or interpreted, said Shannan Catalano, a statistician with the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
“It is an evolving field, and everyone is striving to get a handle on what’s the best estimate,” Catalano said.
The CDC’s numbers don’t seem surprising to people who work with abused women.
“I think that the awareness is growing,” said Kim Frndak, community educator for the Women’s Rescue Center to End Domestic Violence, which operates a shelter on the outskirts of Atlanta.
“More and more people are really saying, ‘Oh, this is something that we need to pay attention to as well,’ because it’s your sister, it’s your mother, it’s your daughter, it’s your son, it’s your brother. Someone in your own circle is being affected by domestic violence, and the effects can be devastating,” she said.
• Online: CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/
Comments (41)
Add commentI would like to see the questions
While I know that violence against women is a reality, I would like to see the questions. This seems just too weighted. I find the incidence just too regular. If I was to believe this then JPD would be arresting 1 in 4 of my neighbors nearly weekly. The AWARE Shelter would become an armed boot camp with 1000 beds and men would be neutered at birth.
Not Quite
The survey said that one in four women were the victims of violence not that one in four men have committed violence towards women. A group of men are serial offenders and represent a larger population of men committing acts of violence towards women.
On another note this is really disturbing.
AKjustice
I'm just one woman, but here is my story:
1. At age 5, I was sexually molested by my babysitter (a 17 yr old male)
2. At age 8, I was sexually molested by my 11 yr old step-brother.
3. At age 13, I was "fondled" by an adult, male, family friend.
4. At age 14, I was slapped in the face by my then boyfriend.
5.At age 16, I was sexually molested by my boss - an older, male, ex-police officer, who owned a popular eatery here in town.
6. At age 21, My then-husband tried to strangle me to death while I was 8 months pregnant.
(FYI - My daughter and I are fine)
I'm now 47 yrs old, and #6 was the LAST time a man ever put his hands on me in anger - but I still carry a big stick in my car......
AK justice
read the article. think. probably it means one in four at some point in their lives, not one in four per week.
All I said was...
I'd still like to see the questions... Seems all to tightly wrapped. We do want transparency, right?
JNUKara, violence against women
Add my older sister to your awareness list. Her 1st husband physically abused her. Also add my mom to being sexually abused by her older brother.
In other words, amongst my immediate childhood family, I only had two women in my life, and both were abused.
And abuse does not discriminate between social structure, financial situations or cultures.
More need to speak out and thanks for doing so; it prompted me to say something too. I don't care if the ratio is 1:4 or 1:1000. None is acceptable.
Mike
Domestic Violence is
Domestic Violence is something that happens on some level in many households across America. You don't have to put the boots to your spouse/significant other for it to qualify as abuse.
I can proudly say, I was raised right by my father. Abuse and violence has no place in my home. This has also been taught to my children. Teaching respect for others is how this cycle will be broken.
@really: were it only that
@really: were it only that easy. Domestic violence isn't about respect, it's about insecurity and deeply-rooted psychological issues. Most abusers convince themselves that their victims deserve it, and many of the abused have convinced themselves they deserve it (which is why it so often goes unreported). It's a complex issue, but domestic violence does tend to decrease as poverty decreases (as many things do).
It's Common
Three girls in my family, all college-educated w/ advanced degrees, raised in a two-parent home with a gentle, wonderful father. And each of my sisters and me, in the past, have been shoved, slapped or otherwise abused or threatened at one point by a boyfriend or significant other of the same education level and background.
Now we are all happily married to non-abusive men, but I this this statistic is true.
It is more common than most understand.
The questions are in the report.
AKjustice, the full report is linked at the bottom of this article: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/
They have a methods section and Appendix C is a list of the survey questions that they asked.
OK, I concede
I did find the questions, thanks Daniel, and it does appear to be on the up and up. Too bad. The survey results indicate a very sick society!
Very One Sided
What about the men that are abused by women in their lives? It makes it sound like only men do the abusing which is not true!
Men do more abusing, and men
Men do more abusing, and men hit harder than women, ergo, it is a larger problem and more deserving of attention.
It always irks me when guys do this. It reminds me how older siblings act when their parents have another baby. "Pay attention to meeeee!"
Stop nagging complaining and
Stop nagging complaining and bitching so much and realize that you can be wrong too or try to see it from your other half's perspective, it can go a long ways to stop ignorant violence from happening in the first place. This comment goes for both sexes. When you argue, bicker and fight with your husband or wife. Just shut up when the other asks you too and talk about it again when neither party is so worked up, its called having patience.
Now I imagine i'll be tossed in with and accused as an abuser for that statement. So i'll say it again, this goes for BOTH sexes....SHUT UP and stop worrying about who's right who's wrong and having the last word.
I wish everything could be this simple but i know its not....this is really just a rant i spose.
@AlaskanStyle: while that's
@AlaskanStyle: while that's good advice, it comes off as victim-blaming in this context. Regardless of how mouthy someone is, it is NEVER their fault if another person hits him/her.
I know its never their fault
I know its never their fault if another person hits them regardless of sex. ( I also know I'm not very good at vocalizing my opinions and i'm not advocating violence.) I am trying advocate respect for the feelings, beliefs and opinions of your significant other.
Patience and Love go hand in hand. I know sometimes I need more of the former.
I was raised by a single hard working mother and I know the value of my wife and everything she does for me and my family, My mom taught me well.
Just be good to your loved ones ppl.
Merry Christmas everyone please enjoy your family members while you have them with you.
I should know better than
I should know better than argue with you PP. You seem to just want to make inflammatory remarks that stir the pot when you don't agree with others.
I do however feel that your remark about men hitting harder and being more abusive is ignorant. Domestic abuse goes both ways. It doesn't have to be physical to be abusive. Women can be just as guilty as men. It does not matter who hits hardsest. All abusers, regardless of their sex, are deserving of attention.
That is all.
Nearly Every Person You See
The statistics are probably pretty close as anyone can get. More stats will be collected and it will always have a common element that violence happens to many people. I believe the more we recognize the signs in or on people, and do whatever is in your power to intervene, the better our world around us becomes. I am a survivor of extreme domestic violence and can usually recognize a victim on the street or anywhere I go. Believe me it could be the well-dressed person standing next to you, or it can be the person being a jerk in public. One aspect of violence I intervene or report to authorities is child abuse. I absolutely will not stand by or ignore this if I see it happening in public, I will stop right there, take notes such as car license plate number, people involved, etc.... If I feel safe to say something to this person I will. I use to work in a well-known medical clinic here in Juneau and it was shocking to see the number of young women come in with boyfriends and how the boyfriends hovered over them in a way that they seemed to be taking ownership over them and eyeing everyone suspiciously. The nurses told me they would not do a thing to help the woman because the boyfriend will beat the girlfriend later for it. You know, still does not make sense to me about that reasoning. Something should have been done. I would encourage people to call the police or social services whenever they witness or hear the abuse. Make these bullies accountable.
@really: no one's saying
@really: no one's saying domestic abuse against men isn't a problem. It is. But abuse towards women is a bigger problem.
When the foundation of a house is rotting, you don't worry about the paint job.
Mike
Thank you and agreed!
That's sad
about Sara Chambers. I remember that, after my husband choked me, it was literally 11 years before I could go to sleep without having my fists balled up in front of my neck to protect me while I slept. I'm so sorry Sara......
If one in four women get
If one in four women get abused, then it means that three quarters don't get abused. But, that is not the purpose of this article.
Further, everybody knows that some women beat on men. However, that is not what this article is about.
Another thing people ought to think about is the number of men who get abused by other men. But, that is not the focus of this article.
I can well imagine that these stats are accurate since I, as a man, have experienced aggression from other males. There are a lot of males out there who are just plain jerks.
All this having been said, each individual has the obligation to him or herself to focus on not becoming a victim of aggression from another person. We can have these studies, discussions on public forums, and a wide variety of other pointless rituals. However, when an individual finds oneself confronted by an aggressive individual, one has to deal with the issue oneself. A world-renowned karate master once told me that the number one secret to self-defense is being aware of one's surroundings to the degree that one doesn't end up in dangerous situations.
Another thing a person can do, is to learn to defend oneself. Just in Juneau there are a variety of martial arts classes and self-defense courses. Women and men should strive to develop skills which will allow them to better ward off attackers.
Of course, my suggestions will not work in every case. However, I think that in many cases people find themselves in positions facing aggressive people due to not having used sound judgement in the first place.
Doors
A female friend of mine once said, "First time he hits me, it's his fault. The second time, it's my fault (for not doing everything she could to ensure that it didn't reoccur)."
That being said, domestic violence is an epidemic. It is wrong. Genders are irrelevant because it happens to both.
However, there are doors in the homes that house those victims. There is always an escape route. There is always help available. I will never understand why some people will endure the abuse and not empower themselves more to escape it.
I've never been in a physically abusive relationship, but those that I love have been, and that hurts more because I am powerless to help them if they choose to remain in that relationship.
To those in abusive relationships: GET OUT. It's that simple. Don't say it's not, because it is. Leave. Exit through the door, don't go back. Call someone. There is help available.
Leaving
Part of understanding why women dont leave these relationships is knowing that it isnt just physical abuse they endure. Mental abuse is a key component in these relationships and studies show that its common for the women to have undergone mental abuse sometimes for years before the physical abuse starts. The women are in many cases not near family or friends that can help, they are put down, told they are worthless, isolated, controlled and watched, and intimidated and even though they may work, access to money is taken away from them. If they have kids, the kids might be threatened if the woman says she is leaving. Leaving isnt simple for these women and the abuser makes sure of that.
Often, women who carry guns
Often, women who carry guns have them taken away in an attack. Use your noggin', or whatever it is you use to think. Most sexual abuse is perpetrated by men close to the woman. Even among rapes that are not committed by friends or acquaintances, they often don't take place in a situation where a woman knows about the threat far enough in advance to draw gun and be able to fire it.
Also, sexual abuse is almost always about power and control, not sexual gratification.
Another one woman...
I like the way JNUKara did this, so I'm repeating. Just another woman's history:
1. Molested at the age of 5 by a family friend
2. Molested at the age of 11 by a teacher
3. Date raped at the age of 17
4. Physically abused by my husband that escalated to the point of where I had the gun held to my head at the age of 29
5. Strangled by a male friend/roommate at the age of 35
#5 was the final straw. No man shall ever touch me like that again and live to tell the tale. Amazing to me how they all felt as if they were entitled to do what they wanted. I'm not a tease or a drama-filled person, just used to be very trusting. Not anymore.
And coming from a family of women, 3 out of 6 had suffered in some way or another by the hand of a male.
Broken?
Are you trying to say that if you're a product of a broken home that you're more apt to be abused?
It wouldn't surprise me that the number would be higher from broken homes but I don't think it's going to be all of them. Especially in terms of rape, date rape, etc.
KadiKat
Thank you for sharing your story!
Don't Blame the Victim?
After he has already beat the crap out of you many times and you have spent time at the aware shelter several times and been offered every service imaginable to "Help You" and yet you still wind up living with him? You have some serious issues. I agree It's not your fault that he beats you (usually) but if you cannot admit that it's your fault that you continue to make yourself available to be beaten then there is probably nothing that anyone can do for you. You have to take some ownership.
AH HA
Really? Which one of my "attacks" would you hold me responsible for? The one from my babysitter when I was 5? My stepbrother when I was 8? How about my boss, the ex-police officer? As for the husband who tried to kill me while 8 months pregnant, I left immediately and never went back. Not all victims of abuse stick around after that first "attack". And this statement of yours: "I agree It's not your fault that he beats you (usually)" is just disgusting. It's not the victims fault, EVER!