Women told us that intimate partner abuse is their top concern and we took action. Following up on Progress and Perils: A New Agenda for Women, in which nine out of 10 women said ending domestic violence and sexual assault should be a top priority, we launched an in-depth study to further explore and understand this issue.

Women in 15 multi-city focus groups spoke to us candidly about the impact of domestic violence on their lives, as well as its reasons and possible prevention. The voices were diverse — we spoke to non-minority, African-American, Asian, Latina, adult and teenage women — yet the message was one: domestic violence remains women’s silent struggle. The compelling results of the focus groups are included in Violence Against Women: A Report of Findings From National Focus Groups with Women and Teen Girls.

Key Findings:

• Emotional abuse leaves deeper scars and more lasting effects than physical violence.


• Victims of emotional, verbal and psychological abuse don’t know where to go for help.


• Family, community and religious influences play a key role in preventing and reporting abuse against women, especially among minority women.


• Teenage women recognize the signs of relationship violence but feel isolated and unable to discuss it with peers.

Media Exposure:
Listen to President Faye Wattleton speak on domestic violence on a recent radio broadcast.

Coming Up:
In 2008, we plan to conduct a representative survey of 1,850 women to determine the degree to which key concerns resonate among women, as a whole, and whether responses vary by geographic and demographic characteristics.

News:  [ archives ]

April 02, 2010
September 09, 2009
August 13, 2009