Prevent Domestic Violence in Your Community

Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem that affects millions of Americans.

Intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence, is abuse or aggression that occurs in a close relationship.

- An Intimate partner can be a current or former spouse or a dating partner.
- This type of violence can occur among heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not require sexual intimacy.
- Intimate partner violence might happen one time or happen many times over a period of years.

Intimate Partner Violence Is Common

About 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported at least one impact of the violence (like being concerned for their safety).
Over 43 million women and about 38 million men experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime
See more data from CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS).

Intimate Partner Violence Starts Early

Teen dating violence is a risk factor for intimate partner violence in adulthood. CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that among students who reported dating:

Nearly 1 in 11 female and about 1 in 15 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the last year.
About 1 in 9 female and 1 in 36 male high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the last year.

Intimate Partner Violence is Preventable

All forms of intimate partner violence are preventable. Strategies to promote healthy, respectful, and nonviolent relationships are an important part of prevention.

Programs that teach young people healthy relationship skills such as communication, effectively managing feelings, and problem-solving can prevent violence. These skills can stop violence in dating relationships before it occurs.

Learn strategies and approaches for preventing intimate partner violence in your community.

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Partner Resources
Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices is a resource to help states and communities prioritize efforts to prevent intimate partner violence before it starts.

Dating Matters®: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships includes multiple prevention components for individuals, peers, families, schools, and neighborhoods.

VetoViolence is CDC’s online source of violence prevention trainings, tools, and resources.

Need help? Know Someone Who Does?

Hotlines

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Call 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224.

Love is Respect National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Call 1-866-331-9474 or TTY 1-866-331-8453.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline

Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

Visit rainn.orgexternal icon to chat one-on-one with a trained RAINN support specialist, any time 24/7.

Resource Centers

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) is a comprehensive source of information for on domestic violence.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) provides information, resources, and research on all aspects of sexual violence prevention and intervention.

PreventConnect is a national project of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. PreventConnect’s goal is to prevent sexual assault and relationship violence by building a community of practice to develop, implement, and evaluate prevention initiatives.

More Information