Does anyone know if the stats of domestic abuse against women are going down, or up?

[Disney1fan2002]

I am reading an old Stephen King novel, Rose Madder. I used to read everything by SK as soon as it hit the shelves, but I think there was a few years where I took a break from him, and this was released around that time.

Anyway, it came out in 1995. I don't ever recall reading anything so graphic when describing a woman being abused by her husband, it makes me sick. I am wondering, or maybe I should say "hoping" that over the years, women have smartened up, and realized they don't need to be with men that hit them.

I know domestic abuse is still a huge problem and probably won't be going away anytime soon, but does anyone know what the numbers are, have the gone down over the past few decades?

 

[Sparx]

domestic violence victims aren't victims because they're stupid. they don't need to "smarten up." they have a serious psychological disorder (in most cases) called "learned helplessness" and it has nothing to do with how smart they are.

now to answer your question, i found these statisics:

In 2005, 1,181 women were murdered by an intimate partner. That's an average of three women every day. Of all the women murdered in the U.S., about one-third were killed by an intimate partner.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes every year.

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, which includes crimes that were not reported to the police, 232,960 women in the U.S. were raped or sexually assaulted in 2006. That's more than 600 women every day.

Intimate partner violence against women declined by half between 1993 (1.1 million nonfatal cases) and 2001 (588,490) - from 9.8 to 5 per thousand women. Intimate partner violence against men also declined from 162,870 (1993) to 103,220 (2001) - from 1.6 to 0.9 per 1000 males. Overall, the incidence of such crimes dropped from 5.8 to 3.0 per thousand.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

domestic violence victims aren't victims because they're stupid. they don't need to "smarten up." they have a serious psychological disorder (in most cases) called "learned helplessness" and it has nothing to do with how smart they are.

I'm sorry, that is not what I meant by "smarten up". I know these women are not stupid. What I meant was, that I hope women have become more informed of the help that is out there for them. That they do not have to stay with an abusive partner.

From what you posted, it seems that something is working. The numbers ARE dropping, and that is good.

 

[chell]

We all need to remember that domestic abuse isn't just made up of physical abuse. Domestic abuse also includes mental, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.

 

[browneyes106]

I remember a couple of years ago in college I read a study that the numbers were going down but the study mentioned that there are still many cases that aren't reported.

 

[RadioNate]

I remember a couple of years ago in college I read a study that the numbers were going down but the study mentioned that there are still many cases that aren't reported.

that is what I wanted to mention. The stats are so hard to judge because SO many cases go unreported. I know 3 girls who were date raped in HS (by the same guy no less) and not one reported it.

My neighbor is living in a horrid situation and doesn't leave. He drinks, beats her, yells and screams at her. I've called 911 several times. She never leaves.

The most dangerous time for an abused person is the leaving.

It isn't so simple.

 

[live4christp1]

that is what I wanted to mention. The stats are so hard to judge because SO many cases go unreported. I know 3 girls who were date raped in HS (by the same guy no less) and not one reported it.

My neighbor is living in a horrid situation and doesn't leave. He drinks, beats her, yells and screams at her. I've called 911 several times. She never leaves.

The most dangerous time for an abused person is the leaving.

It isn't so simple.

I have a friend who worked as a case worker with domestic violence situations and what you have posted is so true. She said that even when someone is doing all the right things that many times the offender still stalks them and she had several that were actually attacked while either dropping or picking their children up/off at school because the offender knew that was one routine that they could count on. Really scary.

 

[RadioNate]

I have a friend who worked as a case worker with domestic violence situations and what you have posted is so true. She said that even when someone is doing all the right things that many times the offender still stalks them and she had several that were actually attacked while either dropping or picking their children up/off at school because the offender knew that was one routine that they could count on. Really scary.

That is exactly what happened to a close family friend of ours. I was maybe 7 or 8 and her daughter was 5 or 6. The hearing to finalize their divorce was scheduled for Monday or Tuesday and he killed her when she went to pick up the daughter on Sunday night.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Rose Madder is one of my favorite all time books.

What is the most alarming to me are the cases of violence in teen dating that has been on the rise over the last several years.

With domestic violence I don't know the real stats but I have not seen a decline in availability for beds for emergency housing.

 

[chell]

DVC Sadie it is sad to see there hasn't been a decline in the need for the beds. Lately we have been cleaning out items in our home and taking them to the local battered women's shelter. They have such a huge need for everything right now because they have so many women. It is sad to see.

Sadly I was one of those women who was too smart for it but ended up in an abusive relationship anyway. He wore me down and knew how to play me. He wasn't physically abusive but was mentally, financially & emotionally. I got my courage to leave him from the strangest place - a song and a band who treated me like I was a real person who mattered. That's the short version of the story.

It was a long scary road for me. Ever since the day I kicked him out I lived my life in fear. I was afraid he was going to come after me and kill me. He was free to do what he wanted when he wanted but I wasn't. He needed to know every move I made. Several years ago he was killed in an accident which somewhat set me free but also filled me with guilt. Talk about something really leaving a person screwed up! Anyway, up until recently I would still have nightmares about him coming after me.

Thankfully I have now met a wonderful man who loves me for me and doesn't ask me or want me to be anyone else. There is hope!

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

DVC Sadie it is sad to see there hasn't been a decline in the need for the beds. Lately we have been cleaning out items in our home and taking them to the local battered women's shelter. They have such a huge need for everything right now because they have so many women. It is sad to see.

Sadly I was one of those women who was too smart for it but ended up in an abusive relationship anyway. He wore me down and knew how to play me. He wasn't physically abusive but was mentally, financially & emotionally. I got my courage to leave him from the strangest place - a song and a band who treated me like I was a real person who mattered. That's the short version of the story.

It was a long scary road for me. Ever since the day I kicked him out I lived my life in fear. I was afraid he was going to come after me and kill me. He was free to do what he wanted when he wanted but I wasn't. He needed to know every move I made. Several years ago he was killed in an accident which somewhat set me free but also filled me with guilt. Talk about something really leaving a person screwed up! Anyway, up until recently I would still have nightmares about him coming after me.

Thankfully I have now met a wonderful man who loves me for me and doesn't ask me or want me to be anyone else. There is hope!

Your story sounds very much like mine, although he ended up leaving me, thank God. I don't know whether I would have had the strength to leave him...and he was abusive in every way mentioned above. In my case, even though I have an IQ in the 160's (and therefore, should definitely be "too smart" for it) I grew up with a father who was sometimes physically abusive and definitely emotionally abusive. I can remember him making a comment about my weight when I was 18 and a size 12. I had bought an anklet at Claire's and it was too tight for me. He said "wow, you must be really fat if an anklet won't even fit you" (never mind that I have huge bones and looking back, that's probably why it wouldn't fit me.) That was just one of the comments he made me that made me feel like I was lucky that any man wanted to be with me, no matter how he treated me. I definitely agree with the concept of learned helplessness and in my case, "learned hopelessness."

 

[chell]

Your story sounds very much like mine, although he ended up leaving me, thank God. I don't know whether I would have had the strength to leave him...and he was abusive in every way mentioned above. In my case, even though I have an IQ in the 160's (and therefore, should definitely be "too smart" for it) I grew up with a father who was sometimes physically abusive and definitely emotionally abusive. I can remember him making a comment about my weight when I was 18 and a size 12. I had bought an anklet at Claire's and it was too tight for me. He said "wow, you must be really fat if an anklet won't even fit you" (never mind that I have huge bones and looking back, that's probably why it wouldn't fit me.) That was just one of the comments he made me that made me feel like I was lucky that any man wanted to be with me, no matter how he treated me.

They learn how to get at you and the right buttons to push. They are masters at their craft. Not that we really want to give them any credit or praise them but that is the best way to describe them.

One of the reasons I didn't leave sooner was because my job. I was told that I would loose my job or have to go before a review board. Ended up I lost my job anyway. But it worked out in the end because I moved back home to be with my family then Larry found me.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

In my case, I moved across the state from where I was living at the time. Even though he had a new girlfriend, he had a tendency to show up unexpectedly at my door no matter how many times I asked him/told him not to. I met the perfect guy for me here, though.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

In this down economy, I have heard that is a reason that in our neck of the woods that reports of domestic violence have gone UP. This is likely due to increased stress from the effects of the economy. Not a good excuse--but I have heard there is a correlation between the two and it seems evident where we are at.

 

[ibelieveinmagic]

hi. sadly my daughter married an abusive man. he was verbally and physically abusive, he would caal her pyhsco b.... dumb b...." your really retarded" "your demon possessed" "you look ugly on purpose", etc ect..... He kicked her across the room,shook her until she thought she was going to die- amoung other things. He had me utterly fooled. I cannot tell you how much pain this has brought to me as her mother. She is very artsy and quirky and has always struggles with self esteem, he really beat her down in every way. They are currently separated now i am praying for a divorce soon!!!!!! Anyway, thanks for letting me tell a little of my story it's a therapy of sorts!

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

ibelieveinmagic, thank you for sharing your story. I know my mom feels awful about what happened to me (she doesn't know all of the details) because she didn't do anything to stop it but I didn't let anyone know what was going on until after he and I were apart and my dad emotionally abused her as well so I can understand why she didn't step in there.