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A third of women experience domestic violence, study says

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2011 | Domestic Violence

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released some alarming statistics. According to a new survey, more than one in three women have experienced physical violence, sexual assault or stalking by an intimate partner. And this may be a surprise for some: the same is the case for more than one in four men.

The survey, which was based on telephone interviews in 2010 with over 16,000 people in the U.S., highlights the need for domestic violence prevention. The director of the CDC’s Injury Center Division says prevention efforts need to begin earlier in life in order to prevent violence before it occurs.

Experts say the data from the survey could help address health issues that accompany intimate partner violence, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse and gastrointestinal problems, to name a few.

According to a CNN article, the study revealed that of the female victims of such domestic violence, more than a third had experienced rape, stalking or some sort of physical violence. And of the men, over 90 percent reported experiencing some sort of physical violence from a partner. Also, nearly half of all men and women say they experienced “psychological aggression” from their partner.

Nearly one in five women in the U.S., as well as one in 71 men, reported being raped at some point in their lifetime. The CDC director says that highlighting the severity of the problem may prompt more people to come forward when they are raped or abused.

Source: CNN, “Survey: 1 in 3 women affected by partner’s violent behavior,” Ashley Hayes, Dec. 15, 2011

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