We have just released our new report on domestic violence. The report is the product of a partnership between United Way and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety-Office of Justice Programs, and we’re really excited about it.

In addition to information about the prevalence of domestic violence (approximately 75,000 victims in Minnesota each year), the report has information about what kinds of actions victims take after experiencing domestic violence:

•  41% end the relationship (this was much higher than I had expected!)
• 36% got help from family, friends, or neighbors
• About one-third (32%) reported they didn’t take any action in response to the violence

Most victims do not report domestic violence to the police, most often because they consider it a private matter (33%). But 15% didn’t report because they believe the police wouldn’t do anything, and 16% were afraid that the abuse would get worse if they called. And a small but sadly significant 3% didn’t report because they thought the abuse was their fault.

Overall, 27% of the women surveyed reported they had experienced domestic violence at some point in their lifetime. That’s more than 1 in 4 women! Men are also victims of domestic violence, though not as frequently: 7% (or 1 in 14) men reported experiencing domestic violence at some point in their lifetime.

The beautiful cover art was donated by author and artist Angela Hayden, herself a survivor of domestic abuse.