Explaining domestic violence, sexual assault

The National Health Watch

How do domestic violence and sexual assault intersect?
Perpetrators who are physically violent toward their intimate partners are often sexually abusive as well.
Victims who are both physically and sexually abused are more likely to be injured or killed than victims who experience one form of abuse.
Abusers assault people of all genders, races, ages, social classes and ethnicities.
Women who are disabled, pregnant, or attempting to leave their abusers are at greatest risk for intimate partner rape.

Statistics about domestic violence and sexual abuse
Intimate partner sexual assault and rape are used to intimidate, control and disgrace victims and survivors of domestic violence.
Intimate partner sexual assault is more likely than stranger or acquaintance assault to cause physical injury. Between 14
per cent and 25 per cent of
women are sexually assaulted by intimate partners during their relationship.
Between 40 per cent and 45 per cent of women in abusive relationships will also be sexually assaulted during the course of the relationship.
Over half of women raped by an intimate partner were sexually assaulted multiple times by the same partner.
Women who are sexually abused by intimate partners report more risk factors for intimate partner homicides than non-sexually abused women.
Women who are sexually abused by intimate partners suffer severe and long-lasting physical and mental health problems, similar to those of other rape victims.
They have higher rates of depression and anxiety than women who were either raped by a non-intimate partner or physically but not sexually abused by an intimate partner.

Marital rape
Marital rape is a rape committed by the victim’s spouse (as opposed to a non-married intimate partner).
Many do not believe marital rape is actually rape, even though between 10 per cent and 14 per cent of married women will be raped at some point during their marriages.
And, 18 per cent of female victims of spousal rape say their children witnessed the crime.
Marital rape is the most underreported form of sexual assault.

  • Next week, we will discuss six ways to take a stand against domestic violence and sexual abuse.