I was pretty skeptical about the figures, since they contradict what I usually hear on the media, so I did a little research. Here’s what I found:
(Sorry this is so US centric)
(I’ll also try to stay close to primary sources as possible)
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6308a1.htm?s_cid=ss6308a1_e)
- the 12 months before taking the survey, an estimated 4.0% of women experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner
-an estimated 14.2% of women experienced some form of psychological aggression in the 12 months preceding the survey.
-*4,774,000 women have been victims of physical violence by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey
-*17,091,000 women have been victims of psychological aggression by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey
- the 12 months before taking the survey, an estimated 4.8% of men experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner
-an estimated 18.0% of men experienced some form of psychological aggression in the 12 months preceding the survey.
-*5,452,000 men have been victims of physical violence by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey
-*20,471,000 men have been victims of psychological aggression by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey
*Table 6
By the data presented by the Center for Disease Control, out of the estimate of 10,226,000 yearly victims of intimate partner violence, 53.3% of victims where male and 46.6% were female. As for psychological aggression, out of the estimate of 37,562,000 yearly victims, 54.4% were male and 45.5% were female. These statistics would support the claim made in the bottom left.
Now I couldn’t find a primary source for the 70% of DV is initiated by women, but here’s the facts that I found, which may have been interpreted by the people who made this poster:
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-sacks/researcher-says-womens-in_b_222746.html)
-Women who were in a battered women’s shelter, 67% of the women reported severe violence toward their partner in the past year.
This can be interpreted as “67% of violent couples with IPV is mutual”. But then again, primary sources and full data would be helpful to back up this claim.
But the one that is most interesting is:(http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsArticle.aspx?articleid=111137)(Another report analysis from the CDC)
-23.9% of relationships are violent
-50.3% of IPV is non-reciprocal and 49.7% is reciprocal (Reciprocal IPV= Mutual violence)
-70.7% of non-reciprocal IPV is initiated by women.
So summing up the numbers, it’s not that 70% of all DV is initiated by women, its that 70% of non-reciprocal DV is initiated by women. To go further would say that 49.7% of DV is mutual, 36.2% of DV is initiated by women, and 14.5% of DV is initiated by men
Male victims of domestic violence are real. They are hurting. And they often don’t get the attention and compassion they so urgently deserve and need.
Have a heart. Open your mind, and give a care.
