NCJ Number
208289
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 259-272
Editor(s)
Ronald D. Maiuro Ph.D.
Date Published
June 2004
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study provided an estimate of the economic cost of intimate partner violence perpetrated against women in the United States, such as medical and mental health expenditures and loss of productivity.
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem that impacts all areas of society, including the medical and mental health care, social services, economic, and criminal justice systems. This study, using data from the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS), Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), and the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), as well as other sources estimated the economic cost resulting from intimated partner violence against women in the United States. The economic cost of IPV represents the monetary burden to society of physical and mental health consequences, time lost, and premature death resulting from the violence. The costs were divided into direct and indirect categories. Direct costs are the actual dollar expenditures related to the violence. Indirect costs consist of the lost productivity of survivors and those who die prematurely. The study provided annual cost estimates of victimizations inflicted on women by their intimate partners during 1995 to 1996 and expressed in 1995 dollars. The estimated economic cost resulting from IPV against women in the United States in 1995 exceeded $5.8 billion. Updated to 2003 dollars, costs would total over $8.3 billion. The study highlights the high costs to the health care system and the significant productivity losses associated with IPV. To refine the cost estimates and monitor prevalence and costs of IPV over time, more comprehensive data are needed. References