Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of abusive behavior that one person uses to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Tactics may include physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse, and isolation.

Other terms often used for domestic violence are Intimate Partner Violence, or Battering.

Domestic violence does not consist of isolated violent incidents, but is rather a pattern of abusive strategies that impacts all aspects of a victim’s life. It can continue for a long time, often escalates in severity and may even end in homicide.

What does it look like?

• Emotional abuse, like name calling, put downs, mind games or verbal threats.

• Physical abuse, like hair pulling, shoving, slapping, kicking, punching to assaults with objects or weapons.

• Sexual abuse, like sexual humiliation and hurtful or forced sex.

• Isolation tactics, like controlling access to transportation or phones, isolating victims from family and friends.

• Economic abuse, like controlling the family income, preventing victims from working, causing debts or bad credit.

In order to understand the physical and/or psychological entrapment of someone who lives with an abusive partner or family member, please consult some of the excellent books, films or websites based on survivor accounts.

Click here for our resources section.

You can also call your local domestic and sexual violence program to ask for an advocate or survivor who could come to speak to your group or class.

Escaping Abuse

Abusers often continue their abusive strategies even after their victim leaves the household or the relationship.  Leaving often doesn’t end the violence. In fact, leaving can be the most dangerous time in a victim’s life. Local domestic violence programs can help with safety planning. Only abusers can end the violence. It takes the entire community to help ensure safety and support for victims and families.  

The Scope of Domestic Violence in Vermont

• There were 8,692 victims of domestic violence served by VNADSV programs. [1]

• 538 survivors were housed in shelters and safehomes statewide in 2006 by the VT Network. [2]

• 9,119 children and youth were identified as having been exposed to domestic violence in their homes. 214 children were sheltered in Network Program shelters or Safehomes; 1,450 children received services in addition to shelter, and 293 children and youth under the age of 18 were victims of sexual violence.[3]

• 1,017 Vermonters with physical or emotional disabilities received services from Network Programs.[4]

• Network Programs received and responded to 17,172 hotline crisis calls.[5]

• The Vermont Department for Children and Families, Family Services Division received 1,596 intake calls that identified co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment.  A total of 2,274 children were involved in these intakes.  360 of these intakes were opened for investigation which included a total of 516 children. [6]

• The Office of Court Administrator reports for FY 2005 (6.04-6.05) that in Vermont Family Courts there were 3,642 Relief from Abuse petitions filed which resulted in 1,285 final orders and 9 transfers to other courts. [7]

• 45 Vermonters reported to police that they were kidnapped by an intimate partner. [8]

• 22 people were reported of raping their spouse, ex-spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend. [9]

• 40% of homicides were domestic violence related, 75% were murdered by their intimate partners and 25% by their ex-partners.[10]

• Between 1994-2004, over half (52%) of homicides in Vermont were domestic violence related.  When suicides are counted in this statistic, domestic violence related deaths increased to 64%.[11]

• 56% of domestic violence homicides were committed with firearms.[12]

....and in the US

• Domestic violence affects more the 32 million Americans each year with more then two million injuries and claims and approximately 1,300 deaths according to a 2005 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• 67 women are victimized by an intimate partner every hour.[13]

• Domestic violence may occur in as many as one of every four families.[14]

• The latest U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics report on intimate partner violence found that 85% of victims are female.[15] 

• In 1993, men were victims of about 160,000 violent crimes by an intimate partner, and in 2002 men were victims of about 72,520 violent crimes by an intimate partner.[16]

• 1.5 million women are raped and/or physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.[17]

• The direct cost of medical treatment for battered women annually is estimated at $1.8 billion.[18]

• In 30-60 % of the families affected by intimate partner violence, children are also directly abused.[19]

[1] Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence 2006 Annual report.

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] Vermont Fatality Review Commission Report, 2005: http://www.atg.state.vt.us/upload/1111668450_2005_Domestic_Violence_Fatality_Review_Commission_Report.pdf

[7] Ibid, Relief from Abuse petitions reflected include Title 15 and Title 33 petitions.

[8] 2005 Vermont Crime Report.

[9] Ibid

[10] Vermont Fatality Review Commission Report, 2005: http://www.atg.state.vt.us/upload/1111668450_2005_Domestic_Violence_Fatality_Review_Commission_Report.pdf

[11] Ibid

[12] Ibid