Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is abused by an intimate partner- spouse, boyfriend, friend. On the average, more than five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends every day.

For support and more information please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or at TTY 1-800-787-3224.

Abuse in America

In the year 2001, more than half a million American women (588,490 women) were victims of nonfatal violence committed by an intimate partner.

Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing Outreach.

National Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Statistics

In 2005, there was IPV in about 1 in every 320 U.S. households.3 For 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that:

• IPV constituted 5% of all violence against males and 22% of all violence against females in the U.S.4
• The rate of IPV for females age 12 or older was 4.3 per 1,000, a 53% decrease since 1993. Against males, the rate was 0.8 victimizations per 1,000, a 54% decrease since 1993.5
• 72% of IPV against males and 49% of IPV against females was reported to police.
• About 99% of IPV against females was committed by male offenders, and about 83% of IPV against males was committed by female offenders.

 References

1 Compiled December, 2011.
2 http://www.opdv.ny.gov/statistics/reports/index.html#1_2
3 Klaus, P. (2007). Crime and the Nation’s Households, 2005. Bureau of Justice Statistics, NCJ 217198, http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=752.
4 Truman, J.L. (2011). Criminal Victimization, 2010. (National Crime Victimization Survey). BJS.
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv10.pdf.
5 Catalano, S., Rand, M., Smith, E., & Snyder, H. (2009). Female Victims of Violence. BJS.
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2020.
6 Ibid.


THE PROBLEM

A Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing woman trying to leave an abusive relationship faces unique barriers.

Information travels quickly within a Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing community, compromising confidentiality and the victim’s safety.

Police and shelters are often not skilled at communicating with the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing and often don’t have interpreters.

 

THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM

Four million women are physically abused each year by their partners.

• 500,000 are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing.
• 31% of American women report being physically or sexually abused at some point in their lifetime.
• 6,000,000 are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing.
  

 

HOW THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE CAN HELP

The Hotline strives to educate the public about the need for Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing abuse outreach programs.

Call the toll-free TTY number, 1-800-787-3224, to find programs and services prepared to help the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing.



 

HOW FAMILY VIOLENCE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES CAN HELP

Make efforts to understand
the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing culture:

• Invite Deaf advocates to your program.
  Recruit Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing volunteers.
• Become familiar with Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing resources: local interpreters, churches,cultural groups and school programs.
• Add TTY phone numbers to printed materials.
• Teach staff to use TTY and ensure that the line is always answered.
• Ensure that television public service announcements are close captioned.

 

ADDITONAL RESOURCES

ADWAS—Abused Deaf Women Advocacy Services
www.adwas.org
206.726.0093 - TTY Office
206.236.3134 - TTY Hotline

Contact ADWAS for the most up-to-date information regarding these resources

California
Los Angeles
LACAAW—Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women
www.lacaaw.org
213.955.9090
213.955.9095 - TDD

Colorado
Denver
DOVE—Advocacy Services for Abused Women
www.deafdove.org
303.831.7932 - Voice - Office
303.831.7874 - TTY 24 hr Hotline

Washington DC
DAWN—Deaf abused Women’s Network
www.deafdawn.org
866.290.3296 - TTY 24hr Hotline

Iowa
DWIAA—Deaf Women of Iowa Against Abuse
www.dwiaa.org
515.244.0875 - TTY
877.244.0875 - TTY Toll free

Illinois
DCAV—Deaf, blind and hard of hearing Community Against Violence
dcavchgo@aol.com

New York
ASDV—Advocacy Services for Deaf, blind and hard of hearing Victims
www.asadv.org
585.387.0744 - FAX
asadv@asadv.org

Ohio
DWAVE—Deaf Women Against Violence Everywhere
dwaveofcentralohio@aol.com

Pennsylvania
ADVAN—Abused Deaf Victims Advocacy Network
www.laurelhouseonline.org/advan.htm
888.883.0770 - TTY
800.642.3150 - Voice

Texas
DAWCAS—Deaf Abused Women’s and Children’s Advocacy Services
www.dawcas.org
512.386.6172 - TTY Office
888.915.8159 - TTY Hotline

Utah
SLCAD—Sego Lily
Center for the Abused Deaf
www.slcad.org
800.897.5465 - Voice
800.787.3224 - TTY

Vermont
DVAS—Deaf Victims
Advocacy Services
www.dvas.org
802.479.1934 - TTY Office
800.303.3827 - TTY Hotline

Virginia
VAV—Virginians
Against Violence
www.vadv.org
757.221.0990 - Voice
804.377.7330 - TTY

Washington
ADWAS—Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services
www.adwas.org
206.726.0093 - TTY Office
206.236.3134 - TTY Hotline

Deaf Women United
www.dwu.org