QuestionsandAnswers: DomesticViolence,SexualAssault,TeenDatingViolence,andStalking

DomesticViolence
Q1:Isntdomesticviolencejustaconflictthatgetsoutofcontrol? Domesticviolenceisapatternofabusivebehaviorinanyrelationshipthatisusedbyone partnertogainormaintainpowerandcontroloveranotherintimatepartner.Domestic violencecanbephysical,sexual,emotional,economic,orpsychologicalactions. 1 Perpetrators ofdomesticviolenceoftenemploymorethanoneoftheseactionswhilevictimizingapartner. Itisalsoimportanttonotethatmanyactsofdomesticviolencearecriminalacts,subjecttothe statutesofagivenjurisdiction. Q2:Ifitsnotphysical,isitstillabuse? Domesticviolenceincludesmanyformsofabuse.Emotional,verbalandeconomicabuses oftencooccurwithphysicalandsexualabuseandinsomeinstancesmaystartbeforephysical violence.Womenwhosepartnersareverballyandpsychologicallyabusivearemorelikelythan otherwomentoexperiencephysicalandsexualviolenceintheirrelationships. 2 Emotionaland psychologicalabuse,especiallybyacontrollingpartner,cannegativelyaffectavictimsmental andphysicalhealth,evenwhenphysicalabuseisnotoccurring. 3 Q3:Thereisalotofmediacoverageonwomenbeingmurderedbyintimatepartners.What istheconnectionbetweendomesticviolenceandfemalehomicide? TheBureauofJusticeStatisticsreportHomicideTrendsintheU.S.showsthatwomenare particularlyatriskforhomicidebyanintimatepartnerandpeopletheyknow.Intheyears 19762005,23.5%ofallmurdervictimswerewomen,but64.8%ofvictimsmurderedby intimatepartnerswerewomen. 4

OVWwebsitehttp://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/domviolence.htm Ibid. 3 Coker,A.L.,Davis,K.E.,Arias,I.,Desai,S.,Sanderson,M.,Brandt,H.M.,etal.(2002).PhysicalandMentalHealthEffectsofIntimatePartner ViolenceforMenandWomen.AmericanJournalofPreventiveMedicine,23(4),260268. 4 Fox,J&Zawitz,M.(2006).HomicideTrendsintheUnitedStates.Retrievedfrom http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/homtrnd.htm#contents.

2 1

Q4:Willvictimsofdomesticviolencebesafeoncetheyleaveanabusiveenvironment? TheNationalViolenceAgainstWomenSurveyfoundthatvictimsofdomesticviolenceoften experiencedphysicalassault,rapeandstalkingbothbeforeandaftertheendoftheir relationships. 5 Victimsalsofacemanybarrierstoleavingtheirrelationships,includingfearof exclusionfromtheirfamiliesandcommunities,lackofaccesstofinancialresources,affordable housing,childcareandsupportiveservices.Whenwomenleaveabusiverelationships,theyare benefittedbyconsultingwithprofessionalswhocanhelpcreateasafetyplan.

Q5:Canmenbevictimsofdomesticviolence? TheNationalViolenceAgainstWomenSurveyandNationalCrimeVictimizationSurveystatistics bothshowthatmen,aswellaswomen,arevictimsofdomesticviolence.Accordingtothe BureauofJusticeStatistics,menexperience0.8victimizationsper1,000malesage12and olderwhilewomenexperience4.3victimizationsper1,000femalesage12andolder. 6 Due tothelargerproportionoffemalevictimscomparedtomalevictims,advocacyeffortstendto focusonwomenandtheuniqueproblemstheyfaceconcerningtheseissues. Q6:Aremenvictimsofintimatepartnerviolenceasoftenaswomen? Bothmenandwomenarevictimsofdomesticviolence,butnotinequalnumbers.TheBureau ofJusticeStatisticsCrimeDataBriefreportsthatin2001,85%ofphysicalintimatepartner assaultswerecommittedagainstwomen. 7 Q7:CanVAWAfundshelpmenwhoarevictimsofdomesticviolence,datingviolence,sexual assault,orstalkingandhavenowheretoturnforhelp? TheOfficeonViolenceAgainstWomenfundsservicesforallvictimsofdomesticviolence, includingwomenassaultedbymen,womenassaultedbywomen,menassaulted bymen,andmen assaultedbywomen.AccordingtotheVAWAMeasuringEffectivenessInitiative,forexample, STOPFormulaProgramgranteesandsubgranteesreportthatin2006,9.8%oftotalvictims servedweremale(462,359victimsserved;ofthat,50,077weremale).

Tjaden,P.,&Thoennes,N.(2000).Extent,Nature,andConsequencesofIntimatePartnerViolence:FindingsFromtheNationalViolence AgainstWomenSurvey.Washington,D.C.:NationalInstituteofJustice/CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention. 6 Catalano,S.,Smith,E.,Snyder,H.,andRand.,M.(2009,September).Femalevictimsofviolence.(NCJ228356).BureauofJusticeStatistics SelectedFindings.Retrievedfromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fvv.pdf 7 Rennison,C.M.(2003,February).Intimatepartnerviolence,19932001.(NCJ197838).BureauofJusticeStatisticsCrimeDataBrief.Retrieved fromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ipv01.pdf

5

SexualAssault
Q8:Aremostvictimsofsexualviolenceyoungwomenincollege? Sexualviolenceincludesawidearrayofnonconsensualsexualactivities,whichmaybe perpetratedbypartners,friends,family,acquaintances,orstrangers.Womenbetweentheages of1624experiencerapeatratesfourtimeshigherthantherateforallwomen. 8 However,itis importanttorememberthatanyonecanbethevictimofsexualviolence.Somepopulations whoexperiencesexualviolencemaybeunlikelytoreportit.Forinstance,datafromthe NationalCrimeVictimizationSurveyof2000identified3,270ofthe261,000rapesandsexual assaultswerevictimsage65orolder 9 ,butthisnumberislikelylow.Estimatessuggestonly30% ofeldersexualabuseisreportedtopolice. 10 Q9:WhathastheViolenceAgainstWomenActdonenothingtostopsexualviolence? TheViolenceAgainstWomenAct(VAWA)wasoriginallypassedin1994todevelop interventionstopreventandreduceviolencethatpredominatelyaffectswomen.Recent researchfindingsindicatethatVAWAgrantswereassociatedwithreductionsinrapeand aggravatedassaultthroughincreasedenforcementactionandincreasedincapacitationof offenders,improvedtrainingofpoliceofficersandothercriminaljusticeofficials,whichmay haveledtoreporting,andpossiblythroughadeterrenteffectfromstrictercriminaljustice actions. 11 Q10:Canwomenprotectthemselvesfromrapeiftheydressmodestly,avoiddangerous neighborhoods,andnotwalkaloneatnight? Womensbehaviordoesnotinviterape/sexualassault.Largescale,nationalresearchshows thatwomenaremostlikelytoberapedandphysicallyassaultedbypeopletheyknowandoften love,notstrangers. 12 BureauofJusticeStatisticsfindingsindicatefor2008,57%oftherapeor sexualassaultsagainstfemaleswerecommittedbyanoffenderwhomtheyknew. 13

8 Humphrey,S.,&Kahn,A.(2000).Fraternities,athleticteamsandrape:Importanceofidentificationwithariskygroup.JournalofInterpersonal Violence,15(12),13131322. 9 Burgess,A.(2006,December).Elderlyvictimsofsexualabuseandtheiroffenders.Retrievedfrom http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/216550.pdf 10 Rennison,C.(2002,August).Rapeandsexualassault:Reportingtopoliceandmedicalattention,19922000.(NCJ194530).Washington,DC: USDepartmentofJusticeBureauofJusticeStatistics.Retrievedfromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/rsarp00.pdf 11 Boba,R.,&Lilley,D.(2009).ViolenceAgainstWomenAct(VAWA)funding:Anationwideassessmentofeffectsonrapeandassault.Violence AgainstWomen,15(2),168185. 12 Bachman,R.(2000).Acomparisonofannualincidenceratesandcontextualcharacteristicsofintimatepartnerviolenceagainstwomenfrom theNationalCrimeVictimizationSurvey(NCVS)andtheNationalViolenceAgainstWomenSurvey(NVAWS).ViolenceAgainstWomen,6,839 867. 13 Catalano,S.,Smith,E.,Snyder,H.,andRand.,M.(2009,September).Femalevictimsofviolence.(NCJ228356).BureauofJusticeStatistics SelectedFindings.Retrievedfromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fvv.pdf

Q11:Isitstillrapeifyouaremarried? Marriagedoesnotprovideconsentforsexualactivitiesandconsentcannotbeassumed betweenoramongstintimatepartners.Researchshowsthatofwomenwhohavebeenraped, 20%wererapedbyaspouseorexspouse,andanadditional4%wererapedbyacurrentor previouscohabitatingpartner. 14 Womenwhoarevictimsofmaritalrapearelikelyto experiencemultipleassaultsandoftensufferseverelongtermphysicalandemotional consequences. 15 Itisimportanttonotethatmaritalrapemaycooccurwithotherformsof domesticandsexualviolence. 16 Ineverystate,rapeofaspouseisprosecutablecrime. 17

Tjaden,P.,&Thoennes,N.(2006,January).Extent,nature,andconsequencesofrapevictimization:FindingsfromtheNationalViolence AgainstWomenSurvey.(NCJ210346).Washington,DC:USDepartmentofJustice.Retrievedfrom http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/210346.pdf 15 Bergen,R.K.(2006,February).Maritalrape:Newresearchanddirections.Harrisburg,PA:VAWnet.Retrievedfrom http://new.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_MaritalRapeRevised.pdf 16 Ibid. 17 Miller,N.(2004,June).Domesticviolence:Areviewofstatelegislationdefiningpoliceandprosecutiondutiesandpowers.Retrievedfrom http://www.ilj.org/publications/docs/Domestic_Violence_Legislation.pdf.

14

TeenDatingViolence

Q12:Isteendatingviolencecommon? Researchindicatesthatteendatingviolenceisalltoocommon;infact32%ofteensreported emotionalabuseorphysicalviolenceinarelationshipinthelast18months. 18 Q13:Doesteendatingviolencegetveryserious? Teendatingviolenceisjustasseriousasadultdomesticviolence.Ofteensreportingdating violence,12%reportphysicalviolence.Thisincludesshoving,hitting,slapping,andtheuseof weapons,amongotherphysicalacts. 19 Q14:Wouldparentsknowifsomethingiswrongintheirteensrelationship? Manyparentsarenotawareoftheviolenceintheirteensrelationships.While40%ofteens reportknowingapeerwhohasexperiencedteendatingviolence,only24%ofparentsknowof achildintheirchildrenspeergroupwhohasexperiencedteendatingviolence. 20 Q15:Doestechnologyhaveanythingtodowithteendatingviolence? Theuseoftechnologyinteendatingviolenceissignificant.Oneinfourteensinarelationship (25%)saytheyhavebeencallednames,harassed,orputdownbytheirpartnerthroughcell phones[and]texting. 21 Additionally,19%ofteensindatingrelationshipssaytheirpartnerhas usedacellulardeviceortheInternettospreadrumorsaboutthem. 22

Halpern,C.T.,Oslak,S.G.,Young,M.L.,Martin,S.L.&Kupper,L.L.(2001).Partnerviolenceamongadolescentsinoppositesexromantic relationships:Findingsfromthe NationalLongitudinalStudyofAdolescentHealth.AmericanJournalofPublicHealth,91(10),16791685. 19 Ibid. 20 LizClaiborne,Inc/TeenResearchUnlimited(2008,July).Tweenandteendatingviolenceandabusestudy.Retrievedfrom http://loveisnotabuse.com/surveyresults_2007mstr.htm. 21 Ibid. 22 LizClaiborne,Inc/TeenResearchUnlimited(2007,January).Techabuseinteenrelationshipsstudy.Retrievedfrom http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/pdf/06208%20Tech%20Relationship%20Abuse%20TPL.pdf.

18

Stalking
Q16:Isstalkingeasy to recognize? Stalkingconsistsofawidevarietyofactsincluding,butnotlimitedto,unwantedphonecalls, postalmail,emails,textmessages,and/orinstantmessaging;following,trackingwithGPS, makingunwantedappearancesatvictimshome,office,orsociallocation;sendingorleaving gifts,vandalizingproperty,andharmingpets.Stalkingisunlikemanyothercrimesbecauseit involvesaseriesorapatternofbehaviors.Individualeventsmayappearbenign,butinthe contextofthewholearetroubling. 23 Q17:Isstalkingevendangerous? Stalkingisapatternofeventswhichmayincludedangerousviolentacts.12.3%ofstalking victimsreportbeinghit,slapped,and/orknockeddownbytheirstalker,4.2%ofstalkingvictims reportbeingstrangledand3.5%reportbeingchasedordraggedwithacar. 24 Additionally,4% ofvictimsreportbeingattackedwithaweapon 25 andin23%oftheseincidencesastalker attackedtheirvictimwithahandgun. 26 Ofvictimsinjuredinaphysicalattack,aboutonefifth sustainedseriousinjuriesincludingbrokenbones,internalinjuries,andknifeorgunshot wounds. 27 Q18:Doesstalkinghappenthatmuch?Does stalkingonly happento celebrities andby people theydontknow? Stalkingisprevalentamongallindividuals.TheBureauofJusticeStatisticsSupplemental VictimizationSurveyonStalkingestimates3.4millionpersonsage18orolderwerevictimsof stalkingduringa12monthperiodbetween2005and2006. 28 Strikingly,nearly3in4ofall victimsknewtheiroffenderinsomecapacity. 29 Q19:Isstalkingbyacurrentorformerintimatepartnerdangerous? Thereisapositivecorrelationbetweenstalkingandotherformsofintimatepartnerviolence. Researchshowsthatthosewhostalktheirpartnersarefourtimesmorelikelytophysically assaulttheirpartnersthannonstalkersandsixtimesmorelikelytosexuallyassaulttheirpart ners. 30 Ofwomenstalkedbyacurrentorformerhusbandorcohabitationpartner,81%were physicallyassaultedbythatpartner. 31

Sheridan,L.,Davies,G.M.,&Boon,J.C.W.(2001).Stalking:Perceptionsandprevalence.JournalofInterpersonalViolence,16(2),151167. Baum,K.,Catalano,S.,&Rand,M.(2009).StalkingvictimizationintheUnitedStates.(NCJ224527)Washington,DC:U.SDepartmentof Justice,BureauofJusticeStatistics.Retrievedfromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/svus.pdf 25 Ibid. 26 Ibid. 27 Ibid. 28 Baum,K.,Catalano,S.,&Rand,M.(2009).StalkingvictimizationintheUnitedStates.(NCJ224527)Washington,DC:U.SDepartmentof Justice,BureauofJusticeStatistics.Retrievedfromhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/svus.pdf 29 Ibid. 30 St.George,R.(2001,February).AddressingstalkinginIndianCountry.MendingtheScaredHoopSTOPViolenceAgainstIndianWomen TechnicalAssistanceProject.Retrievedfromhttp://www.mincava.umn.edu/documents/stalking2/stalking2.html 31 Tjaden,P.,&Thoennes,N.(1998)StalkinginAmerica:FindingsfromtheNationalViolenceAgainstWomenSurvey.(NCJ169592). Washington,DC:NationalInstituteofJusticeandCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.Retrievedfrom http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/169592.pdf
24 23