Agenda - 06-25-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FACT SHEET Violence against women and children is pervasive in society and is detrimental to all members. Here are a few of the facts: - Estimates for the number of women battered each year in our country range from 1.8 million to 6 million. - Domestic violence occurs in more than 50% of all homes in the United States. - A woman is beaten every 12 seconds in this nation. The Department of Justice has found that, in almost three quarters of reported spouse assaults, the battered woman was divorced or separated when the incident took place. This suggests battering may be more prevalent than currently estimated, since most incidence surveys limit their sample to married couples. Women of all cultures, races, occupations, income levels and ages are battered. For example, the number of wife abuse cases reported in a working - class, black neighborhood in New York was roughly the same as the number reported in a white, upper - middle -class area in Connecticut with approximately the same population. - The majority of victims of violent crimes such as battering, rape and assault are women. - According to the department of Justice, men commit 95% of all assaults on spouses. In addition, the severity and extent of injuries incurred by men are insignificant and incomparable to those sustained by women. - According to the U. S. Surgeon General, battering is the single major cause of injury to women in the United States. - Battering can be a punch or a kick, harassment, threats, constant put - downs, sexual assault, severe beatings, and murder. Once battering begins, it often continues -arid escalates. - 40% of all murdered women are killed by the men in their lives. - 50% of all women's injuries seen in hospital emergency rooms have been caused by battering. 21% of all women using emergency surgical services are battered. - 42% of women in shelters have been battered while pregnant. The March of Dimes now recognizes that many birth defects result from this violence. - The American Psychiatric Association cites that, in 1986, at least 310,000 women and their children were housed in the 1,200+ shelters across the United States.