Domestic Violence

National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

Domestic Violence Fatalities in Utah, 2003-2008 report

Intimate Partner Violence in Utah, 2008 fact sheet

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is also know as Intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is abuse that occurs between two people in a close relationship. The term “intimate partner” includes current and former spouses and dating partners. IPV exists along a continuum from a single episode of violence to ongoing battering (1).

IPV includes four types of behavior:

• Physical abuse is when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, burning, or other physical force.

• Sexual abuse is forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent.

• Threats of physical or sexual abuse include the use of words, gestures, weapons, or other means to communication the intent to cause harm.

• Emotional abuse is threatening a partner or his or her possessions or loves ones, or harming a partner’s sense of self-worth. Examples are stalking, name-calling, intimidation, or not letting a partner see friends and family.

Domestic Violence Statistics

• In 2011, there were 19 domestic violence-related homicides in Utah (6). This is approximately 32% of all homicides in Utah.
• In 2011, more than 3,400 men, women, and children entered shelters in FY 10 to escape domestic violence (6).
• In 2008, 14.2% of Utah women (ages 18 and older) reported that an intimate partner had ever hit, slapped, pushed, kicked, or hurt them in any way (2).
• In Utah, women experienced 169,156 intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes each year (2).
• Nationally, each year, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes (3).
• The percentage of women in Utah who reported ever experiencing IPV increased with age, with the exception of women who were 65 years or older (2).
• 39% of Utah women reporting IPV said the perpetrator was their husband or male live-in partner. 27% said the perpetrator was a former husband or former male live-in partner and 25.7% said the abuser was a former boyfriend (2).
• In Utah, divorce or separated women report the highest percentage of IPV (42.1%) (2).
• Nationally, the estimated costs of IPV exceed $5.8 billion each year. This includes costs of medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (4).
• There is approximately one intimate partner-related homicide every 33 days in Utah (5).
• 44% of intimate partner-related homicide victims were killed by a spouse (5).
• 147 Utah children were directly exposed to an intimate partner-related homicide from 2003-2008 and 78% of these children were under six years of age (5).
• There is approximately one domestic violence-related homicide each month in Utah (5).
• One out of three adult homicides are domestic violence homicides.
• One-third of domestic violence perpetrators committed suicide after committing the homicide (5).
• There are approximately 3 domestic violence-related suicides every month in Utah (5).
• Almost 12% of adult suicides are domestic violent related (5).

Data Sources

(1) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2006). Understanding Intimate Partner Violence fact sheet, http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/IPV_factsheet-a.pdf.

(2) Utah Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2008.

(3) Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, nature, and consequences of intimate partner violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington (DC): Department of Justice (US); 2000. Publication No. NCJ 181867. Available from: URL: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/181867.htm.

(4) NCIPC. (2003). Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States, http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/IPVBook-Final-Feb18.pdf.

(5) Utah Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2008.

(6) No More Secrets 2011 report