More to Know About: Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pattern of learned behavior in which one person uses physical, sexual,
and/or emotional abuse to control another person. However, domestic violence involves
individuals with special relationships. Under Michigan law, domestic violence is an assault or
assault and battery by a:

• spouse
• former spouse
• person residing or having resided in the same household as the victim
• person having a child in common with the victim
• person with whom he/she has or has had a dating relationship

How to Tell If You’re a Victim of Domestic Violence

There are many signs or “red flags” for domestic violence besides physical abuse. These
common indicators include:

• Extreme jealousy
• Possessiveness
• Animal cruelty
• Verbal abuse
• Unpredictability
• Stalking
• Extremely controlling behavior such as withholding money, car keys, preventing a victim from attending school/work, etc.
• Control over how the victim dresses or how they act
• Forced sexual intercourse or disregard of partner’s unwillingness to have sexual intercourse

Domestic Violence Statistics

• According to the Michigan State Police, there were 91,004 reported victims and 105 reported murders related to domestic violence in 2017.
• Nationally, females ages 18-24 and 25-34 generally experienced the highest rates of intimate partner violence.
• Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men report having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
• The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.