Domestic Violence

What is Domestic Violence?

New! Emergency Department Survey on Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence, 2009 results.

A recent study shows that, in Utah, one in every 10 women has experienced emotional or physical abuse by an intimate partner within the last year. Even more sobering, the study reveals that 40% of women have been abused at some time in their lives.

The study was conducted at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. Researchers asked all adult women who came through their emergency room during a one-month period in 2001 to fill out a confidential survey. A total of 360 women agreed to participate. Read the entire Emergency Department Survey on Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence, 2003 report.

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive and coercive behaviors that may include inflicted physical injury, psychological abuse, sexual assault, progressive social isolation, stalking, deprivation, intimidation, and threats. These behaviors are perpetrated by someone who is, was, or wishes to be involved in an intimate or dating relationship with an adult or adolescent, and are aimed at establishing control by one partner over the other.

• Every year, more than 1.5 million women and 834,700 men are physically assaulted and/or raped by their intimate partner in the United States.
• Each year, an estimated 40,000 Utah women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner and 194,000 women are subjected to emotional abuse.
• One study found that 2.6% all Utahns have been victims of domestic violence. Of these, 74.5% did not report the incident to authorities.
• On average, 11 Utah women die each year from intimate partner violence.
• From 1994-1999, one-half of all women murdered in Utah were killed by a current or former intimate partner.
• In 2005, seventy-five percent of domestic violence homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner or a family member.
• In 2005, there were 65 domestic violence-related deaths of adults ages 18 and older; of those 65 deaths, 44 were suicides and 21 were homicides.
• Utah ranked 16th nationally for the percentage of women killed by men in 2001, with a total of 18 murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports homicide is a leading cause of traumatic death among new and expectant mothers, with higher risks for black women and those under age 20. For more information on pregnancy and domestic violence in Utah, read the Utah PRAMS Data Bok 2004-2005.

Additional information can be found in the Prams Perspectives: a Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Report February, 2006 and the Deaths from Violence: A Look at 17 States data from the National Violent Death Reporting System 2004-2005 report.

Types of Domestic Violence

Physical
Any forceful, physical behavior, which may include:

• Pushing, slapping, hitting, shoving, biting, punching, kicking, or strangulation
• Assault with a weapon
• Holding, tying down, or restraining
• Leaving partner in a dangerous place
• Refusing to obtain medical help when partner is sick or injured
• Restricting sleep or access to food and/or water

Psychological
Any verbal/nonverbal form of communication used to control a partner which may include:

• Threats of harm or suicide
• Physical and social isolation
• Extreme jealousy and possessiveness
• Intimidation
• Degradation and humiliation
• Name-calling and constant criticism, insults, and belittlement
• False accusations and blame
• Ignoring, dismissing, or ridiculing needs
• Lying, breaking promises, and destroying trust
• Driving fast and recklessly to frighten and intimidate
• Restricting access to financial resources such as checkbook, money, car keys etc.

Sexual
Any form of forced sex or sexual degradation, which may include:

• Forcing sexual behaviors when partner is particularly vulnerable (e.g. asleep, drunk, intoxicated, not fully conscious, or afraid to say no)
• Physically hurting partner during sex or assaulting partner’s genitals
• Criticizing or calling partner sexually degrading names
• Treating partner as a sex object
• Making partner perform sexual acts against his/her will
• Limiting access to contraceptives
• Forcing partner to watch or witness sexual acts performed by other (Fairview Health Services, 1995)
  

Risk Factors
Woman at highest risk for domestic violence include those who:

• are between the ages of 19 and 29;
• have an annual family income below $10,000;
• are with a partner who abuses alcohol or drugs;
• have a history of family violence that may include being a victim of child abuse or witnessing the abuse of a parent or family member.

In Utah, 1 in 5 children will hear or see verbal abuse and 1 in 14 children will see or hear physical abuse. Each year more than 10 million American children witness intimate partner violence within their families. Witnessing family violence is stressful to children and is a risk factor for long-term physical and mental health problems.