Massachusetts Domestic Violence Statistics

In Fiscal Year 2001, there were over 2,270 shelter/safe home intakes in DSS-funded domestic violence programs: *

* Note: these numbers reflect only required data from Department of Social Services. They do not necessarily reflect the full amount of services domestic violence programs provide (Jane Doe Inc., 2002).

* See note above (Jane Doe Inc., 2002).

In Fiscal Year 2001, DSS-funded domestic violence programs received over 44,000 hotline calls: *

* In addition to above note, please know that during this time programs were not required to count hotline calls. Therefore, the number of actual calls is higher than 44,000.

• In its first year, SafeLink, the Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline, received over 26,900 calls (Casa Myrna Vazquez, Inc., 2002).
• Approximately one in five female high school students reported being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner (Silverman et al, 2001).
• According to the Registry of Civil Restraining Orders, at least 43,000 Massachusetts children a year are exposed to reported acts of abuse and violence between family members (Adams, 1995).
• During 1998 and 1999, 5.5% of surveyed women ages 18-59 reported experiencing intimate partner violence in the past year (1998 and 1999 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2000).
• In 2000, the number of restraining orders filed was 34,742. For 2000, the Office of the Commissioner of Probation reports that 83% of defendants in 209A cases were male (MA Office of the Commissioner of Probation, 2001).
• In 2001, there were 15 intimate partner violence homicides in Massachusetts; 11 were women and 4 were men (Jane Doe Inc., 2001).
• Among women ages 18-59, women with disabilities were twice as likely to have experienced intimate partner abuse in the past year (10%) compared to women without disabilities (MA BRFSS, 1999-2000).