National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey results released
On December 14, 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010 Summary Report. The findings show that, on average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. Over the course of a year, that equals more than 12 million women and men. Those numbers only tell part of the story - more than 1 million women reported being raped, and over 6 million women and men were a victim of stalking.
These findings emphasize that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are widespread and a major public health problem in the United States. The report underscores the heavy toll of this violence, particularly on women; the immediate impacts of victimization; and the lifelong health consequences of these forms of violence. For example:
Lots of horrible information, based on a telephone survey of about 9,000 women and 7,000 men. Unfortunately the numbers are, for the most part, as unsurprising as they are upsetting.
source; direct link to the Executive Summary [pdf]; direct link to the full Report [pdf]
These findings emphasize that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are widespread and a major public health problem in the United States. The report underscores the heavy toll of this violence, particularly on women; the immediate impacts of victimization; and the lifelong health consequences of these forms of violence. For example:
- Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetime.
- Approximately 80% of female victims were raped before the age of 25, and almost half before the age of 18. About 35% of women who were raped as minors were also raped as adults compared to 14% of women without an early rape history.
- 1 in 4 women have been the victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner while 1 in 7 men experienced severe violence by an intimate partner.
- 81% of women who experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner reported significant short and long term impacts related to the IPV experienced such as fear, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and injury, while 35% of men reported such impacts from the IPV experienced.
- Women who experienced rape or stalking by any perpetrator or physical violence by an intimate partner were more likely than women who did not experience these forms of violence to report asthma, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as other health consequences.
Lots of horrible information, based on a telephone survey of about 9,000 women and 7,000 men. Unfortunately the numbers are, for the most part, as unsurprising as they are upsetting.
source; direct link to the Executive Summary [pdf]; direct link to the full Report [pdf]