Cost of Family Violence: Preliminary Results From a National Survey

• NCJ Number: 112338
• Author(s): R J Gelles; M A Straus
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented at the 1987 Conference on Injury in America, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga.

Annotation

This report presents preliminary results from a 1985 national survey to determine the incidence and costs of wife abuse and child abuse.

Abstract

This epidemiological survey of a nationally representative sample of 6,002 American families revealed an annual incidence rate for wife-beating (defined as one or more violent acts which pose a serious risk of injury) of 34 per 1,000. Although immediate medical intervention was rare, seriously assaulted women averaged 68 percent more days in bed due to illness than did other women, and three times as many reported being in poor health. Assaulted women also had much higher rates of psychological distress, including double the incidence of headaches, four times the rate of feeling depressed, and four times the rate of suicide attempts. The rate for child abuse was 110 per 1,000 children. Seriously assaulted children had two to three times higher rates of problem behaviors than nonabused children, such as assault, psychological problems, vandalism, drinking, and drug use. These figures indicate that violence in the American family involves a staggering aggregate monetary cost. 4 figures, 16 references, and 5 footnotes. (Author abstract modified)