Roughly 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner or sexual violence from someone else at some point in their lives. That figure, drawn from World Health Organization estimates, translates to hundreds of millions of women. In the United States alone, about 43.5 million adult women have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
Global Numbers at a Glance
The WHO puts the global lifetime prevalence at about 30%. When the data is narrowed to women aged 15 to 49 who have been in a relationship, 27% report physical or sexual violence from a partner. These numbers hold remarkably steady across decades of surveys, even as awareness and legal protections have expanded in many countries.
The most extreme outcome of this violence is femicide. An estimated 50,000 women and girls were killed by a family member or intimate partner in 2024, roughly 137 per day. Africa records the highest rates relative to its female population, though data gaps in many regions make precise comparisons difficult. Fewer countries are reporting femicide statistics over time, meaning the true toll is likely higher than what gets counted.
Prevalence in the United States
The CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey provides the most detailed U.S. picture. Over their lifetimes, 34% of American women (nearly 43.5 million) experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. Breaking that down:
- Physical violence: 22.5% of women, with 18.2% experiencing severe forms like being hit with a fist, kicked, or slammed against something.
- Contact sexual violence: 19.7%, including rape (8.6%) and sexual coercion (14.2%).
- Stalking: 12.2%.
These categories overlap, which is why the combined figure of 34% is lower than the individual percentages added together. Many women experience more than one type of violence from the same partner.
In 2021, 34% of female murder victims in the U.S. were killed by an intimate partner, making it the single most common perpetrator category for women who are homicide victims.
How Much Goes Unreported
Only about half of domestic violence incidents ever reach law enforcement. The National Crime Victimization Survey found that 52% of people who experienced domestic violence reported the crime in 2019, down from roughly two-thirds in 2010. That decline in reporting doesn’t necessarily mean less violence. It may reflect shifting trust in law enforcement, changes in how victims weigh the risks of reporting, or evolving survey methods.
Because surveys like the CDC’s ask people directly about their experiences rather than relying on police records, they capture a much fuller picture than crime statistics alone. Even so, shame, fear of retaliation, financial dependence, and immigration status all suppress disclosure, meaning the true prevalence is almost certainly higher than any survey captures.
Young Women and Teen Dating Violence
Violence often starts early. Among U.S. high school students who dated in 2021, about 1 in 12 experienced physical dating violence and about 1 in 10 experienced sexual dating violence in just the prior year. Female students reported higher rates of both types than male students. LGBTQ students and those unsure of their gender identity faced even higher rates than their heterosexual peers.
These early experiences matter beyond the immediate harm. Patterns of violence in adolescent relationships frequently carry forward into adult partnerships, both for victims and for those who use violence.
Violence During Pregnancy
Pregnancy does not provide protection. A CDC analysis of data from 2016 to 2022 found that 5.4% of women with a live birth in the studied jurisdictions experienced intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Emotional abuse was the most common form (5.2%), followed by physical violence (1.5%) and sexual violence (1.0%).
The health consequences are serious for both mother and baby. Women who experienced violence during pregnancy were roughly twice as likely to have depression, smoke cigarettes, or use marijuana or other substances during pregnancy compared to women who did not. Physical and sexual violence during pregnancy were linked to preterm birth, and physical violence specifically was associated with pregnancy-related high blood pressure, itself a risk factor for stroke and low birth weight.
Long-Term Health Effects
Domestic violence is not just an acute safety issue. It is a chronic health problem. Survivors face elevated risks of conditions affecting the heart, bones and muscles, digestive system, reproductive system, and nervous system. Depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms are common. Survivors are also more likely to smoke, binge drink, and engage in risky sexual behavior, compounding their health risks over time.
The financial toll reflects this. A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimated the lifetime cost per female victim at about $103,800 (in 2014 dollars). Scaled across the roughly 43 million U.S. adults with a history of victimization, the total population burden reached $3.6 trillion. Medical costs accounted for 59% of that figure, and lost productivity for another 37%. Criminal justice and property damage made up the remainder.
What the Numbers Mean in Practice
Statistics this large can feel abstract. One way to make them concrete: in a room of ten women, three of them have likely experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence at some point. In the U.S. specifically, if you know six women, statistically two of them have been physically assaulted, sexually victimized, or stalked by a partner.
These are not rare events concentrated in a particular demographic or income bracket. While poverty, substance use, and social isolation increase risk, intimate partner violence cuts across every racial group, education level, and zip code. The consistency of the numbers across countries and cultures is one of the most striking findings in public health research on this topic.