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Nonfatal Intimate Partner Violence,
1992-2004

Callie Rennison, Ph.D.

Highlights

  • In 2004, approximately 475,930 females and 151,470 males were victims of violence at the hands of a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend.
  • Between 1992 and 2004, the number of violent victimizations by an intimate against a female victim declined from approximately 950,750 to 475,940. The highest number of IPV against females was measured in 1993 when 1,070,510 were estimated.
  • The IPV rate, against females fell from 8.8 to 3.8 victimizations per 1,000 females (a 57% drop) between 1992 and 2004. The highest rate of IPV was measured during 1993 as 9.8 females per 1,000 were victims of IPV.
  • Regardless of the year considered, IPV against males and females most often took the form of simple assault.

 

Related publications include:

Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001

Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim, 1993-99

Intimate Partner Violence

 

IPV in 2004
In 2004, there were 627,400 nonfatal violent victimzations against persons by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriends according to estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). This violence - intimate partner violence - is most often sustained by female victims. In 2004, 76% of all IPV was experienced by a female victim.

Intimate partner violence makes up a large percentage of the violence females experience. In 2004, 21% of all violence against females was committed by an intimate partner. In contrast, intimate violence is a relatively rare form of violence experienced by male victims. In 2004, 5% of violence against men was perpetrated by an intimate partner.

2004 IPV rates for male and female victims, by type of violence

IPV Rates, 1992 to 2004

The rate of IPV against females declined significantly between 1992 and 2004. Specifically, a 57% drop in IPV against women occurred as rates fell from 8.8 per 1,000 females to 3.8 per 1,000 females during this time. The highest rate of IPV against females was noted in 1993 when 9.8 females per 1,000 were victimized by an intimate partner. Since 1993 female victimation fell 61%.

IPV against males has shown less change between 1992 and 2004. The rate of IPV against males fell 10% from 1.4 to 1.3 during this time. The highest rate measured occurred in 1994 when 1.7 males, per 1,000 were victmized by an intimate. Between 1994 and 2004, male IPV declined 19%.

1992-2004 IPV rates for male and female victims

Illustration of 1992-2004 male and female IPV rates

About the Data

The National Crime Victimization Survey gathers information about criminal victimizations from an ongoing nationally represenative sample of households in the United States. Violent victimization refers to threatened, completed and attempted rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. Intimate partner violence is violence committed by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. Estimates include same-sex violence.

For more information about the National Crime Victmization Survey, consult the following:

  • Rennison, Callie Marie, and Michael Rand. (2007). "Introduction to The National Crime Victimization Survey" in James P. Lynch and Lynn A. Addington (eds.) Understanding Crime Statistics: Revisiting the Divergence of the NCVS and the UCR. New York: New York. Cambridge University Press.