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Women and Family Members have the Right to be Free from Terrorism in the Home
Domestic Violence: U.S. National Facts -- May l997
Every 15 seconds a U.S woman is battered by her husband, boyfriend, or live in partner (FBI).
More than 6 million women are battered yearly. One in four will be battered by a partner during her lifetime, yet only 8% of these women will tell a doctor (American Medical Association).
Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 25 to 44, more common than combined auto accidents, muggings, and rapes (Surgeon General 1992).
The American Bar Association estimates the annual cost of Domestic Violence in the United States to be at least $67 billion annually.
Battered women account for a third of visits to hospital emergency rooms, 25% of female suicides, 25% of women seeking emergency psychiatric help, 45 to 59% of mothers of abused children, and 58% of women over 30 years old who have been raped (American Medical Association).
37% of all pregnant women are battered (A.S.Helton,"Battering During Pregnancy." Master's Thesis, Texax Women's Univ, l985). They miscarry twice as often as non-battered women (TTFADV).
50% of all homeless women and children are fleeing DV (U.S. Senate Committee on Judiciary, '91).
A major study of children at battered women's shelters found that 70% were victims of physical abuse or neglect. 30% were victims of sexual assault (Guide for Health Professionals, N.J. Women's Div).
95% of all domestic assaults are committed by men against women. The other 5% consists of battering among same-sex partners or women battering men (Bureau of Justice).
Domestic violence covers all demographic and socioeconomic boundaries (Boston: Mass Coalition).
One-third of the men counseled at a Boston area battery treatment program are professional men. They included doctors, lawyers, ministers, and business executives (D. Adams, "Identifying the Assaultive Husband in Court: You be the Judge." Boston Bar Journal, July/August, l989).
52% of women murdered each year are killed by a current or former partner (FBI reports).
73% of domestic homicides occur after the victim has left the perpetrator (National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women).
Being abused or neglected as a child increases the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 53%, as an adult by 38%, and for violent crime by 38% (National Institute of Justice, October, l992).
63% of the young men between the ages of 11 and 20 who are serving time for homicide killed their mother's abuser (FBI Uniform Crime Reports).
Between 1980 & 1994, fists and feet killed 55% of parental murdered children below age 5 (OJJDP).
Hands, fists, and feet killed 47% of the murdered children between 1980 and l994 (OJJDP).
Medical expenses due to battering total $3 to $5 billion annually (American Medical Association).
Business loses $1 billion annually because of domestic violence (American Medical Association).
We Must Stop Domestic Violence For Our Children
HAMILTON COUNTY FACTS AND STATISTICS
Data on domestic violence were not collected before 1994. It is believed that domestic violence is grossly under-reported.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORTS IN 1995
CATEGORY Chattanooga Hamilton County Assaults investigated 798 286 Assault Arrests 401 30 Simple Assault - Misdemeanor Class A 853 240 Aggravated Assault - 223 38 Felony Stalking Cases 0 3 (Source: Domestic Violence Investigations reports from city and county.)
There were approximately 3344 domestic violence 911 calls in 1995 (City only). There were 2240 Hot Line Calls to the Family Violence Center in l994.
1996: Police reports were completed on an average of 200 Domestic Violence cases per month. (Source: Chattanooga Crimefax.)
Calls for help most often occur from 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
When the Domestic Violence Task Force begins in May of l997, it is anticipated that the number of 911 calls, investigations and arrests will dramatically increase. This will be due to more accurate data collection, better tracking, earlier intervention, and increased willingness of victims to call because they will perceive that help is available.
ORDERS OF PROTECTION HAMILTON COUNTY* NASHVILLE** 1993 409 700 1994 449 1107 (DV UNIT STARTED) 1995 434 3500 1996 439 *Hamilton Co: Orders of Protection only available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3 PM.
**Nashville: Night court makes it possible to get an order of protection at any time.
"Arrest Is The "Preferred Response In Cases Of Family Violence"
U. S. Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence final report (1984) MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MYTH #1: Battering is rare. Fact: Battering is common. Nearly l in 3 US women are assaulted by their partner. Myth #2: Domestic violence only happens in poor or "dysfunctional" families. Fact: Battering happens in rich, white, educated, professional, and respected families. Myth #3: Battering is about couples fighting on Saturday night. Fact: Battering is about one partner beating, intimidating, and terrorizing the other. Myth #4: "Battered Women" is a smokescreen; women are just as violent as men. Fact: The man is the perpetrator in 90 - 95% of reported domestic assault cases. Myth #5: The woman's behavior brings on the violence in the family. Fact: Only the perpetrator causes the violence. He is the one who must stop. Myth #6: Domestic violence is usually a one time event, an isolated incident. Fact: Once violence begins, it gets worse and more frequent over time. It is a pattern calculated to gain power and control. Myth #7: Battered women must like it; they stay in violent relationships. Fact: Most battered women leave at least once (some 4-5 times); many are finally able to leave. Myth #8: The community puts responsibility on the assaultor (the criminal). Fact: We blame the victim by asking why doesn't she leave or stop it? Myth #9: If a woman wanted to leave, she could call the police or her religious leader. Fact: Some don't want to intervene; some believe women should obey her partner. Myth #10 Men who batter are often good fathers and should have joint custody of children Fact: At least 70% of batterers also abuse the children; all suffer when mother assaulted.Tennessee does not recognize that domestic violence should affect child custody. This is in contrast to 17 other states where it does affect custody. Myth # 11 Battering is caused by alcohol or stress or "poor impulse control". Fact: Drinking is an excuse; most men don't hit co-workers or bosses; only partners. Myth #12 If a battered woman really wanted to leave, she could just pack up and go. Fact: Battered women are faced with the possibility of severe physical harm or even death if they leave. There is 75% greater risk when leaving relationship. Fact: Assailants isolate their partners, depriving them of friends and family help. Fact: Perpetrators consistently demean their partners, depriving them of opportunities for acquiring education and job skills. Fact: Child Care and housing are usually unaffordable for battered women.
Our Community Must Believe The Facts, Not The Myths, In Order To Solve This Problem
CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Assaulted Children: Serious child abuse is suggestive of serious partner abuse
- Nearly half of men who abuse their female partners also abuse the children.
- Battered mothers are eight times more likely to use physical discipline on their children than those who live alone or in a nonbattering relationship.
- Children may be injured during wife beating when they get in the way.
- Child abuse deaths increased 54% in seven years. (National Center '92.)
- When the abuser is male, most children's injuries are serious (Bergman, 1986.)
- Half of child abductions occur in domestic violence cases (Grief & Hegar, 1992.)
- Girls with battered mothers are 6.5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted by their fathers than other girls (Bowker, Arbitel and McFerron, 1988.)
- Some abusers intentionally injure the children as a way of threatening and controlling the victim.
Children are seriously affected by witnessing parental abuse.
- Children may be traumatized by fear for their mothers.
- Children may be traumatized by their inability to protect their mother.
- Children may blame themselves for not preventing the violence.
- Children may blame themselves for causing the violence.
- The mother's injuries may interfere with usual caregiving responsibilities.
- Girls who witness maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults (Hotaling, etc. 1986.)
- Boys who see domestic violence are three times more likely to hit their wives. The sons of the most violent fathers may have a rate of wife beating 1,000 greater than other sons (Stark & Flitcraft, l985.)
- One-third of the children who witness the battering of their mothers demonstrate significant behavioral and emotional problems (Jaffee, et al., 1990.)
Children who call police for help (a common occurrence in Chattanooga) or who intervene are at high risk for retaliation by the abuser. In addition, children and mothers in a domestic violence situation are in danger while the criminal investigation and prosecution is going forward. They and their mothers must be protected.
Most children can benefit from intervention by the justice system and violence treatment programs to diminish the negative effects of seeing their mothers abused (Giles-Sims 1985)
The Most Effective Way To Protect The Children Is To Remove The Abuser, Not The Child And Mother
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