The United States Department of Justice defines domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
Scope of the Problem
On average, nearly 20 people per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States.
1 in 3 women have experienced [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime
Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime