Although many California residents are aware of the problem of domestic violence, they may not know how prevalent it is, both in the state as well as across the nation. The problem impacts millions of people in the United States every year, and domestic violence victims include both women and men.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 10 million men and women suffer abuse every year. Statistics show that 20 people are abused by their partners every single minute. Approximately one-third of all women and one-quarter of all men will suffer such abuse at some point during their lives.
Severe physical abuse will occur to 20 percent of all women and 14 percent of all men. Domestic violence hotlines receive an average of 20,000 calls every day across the nation, and domestic violence makes up 15 percent of all charged violent crimes cases. Those who are most at risk of physical abuse from their partners are women between the ages of 18 and 24. When a gun is kept in the home, women are six times likelier to be murdered in a domestic violence incident. Finally, 14 percent of women and 5.5 percent of men report they have been stalked to the point that they feared imminent harm to themselves or to a loved one.
It is important for people who are the victims of domestic abuse to seek help, either with getting or enforcing a restraining order. Although victims may be scared to do so due to a fear of how the perpetrators will respond, continuing abuse is likely to escalate and become worse if nothing is done. Those who are the victims of abuse from their intimate partners should seek help from law enforcement and access services through a domestic violence shelter or agency. They additionally may want to seek legal assistance from a family law attorney.