Half of Americans say they know someone who has experienced domestic violence

Jamie BallardData Journalist
October 21, 2020, 12:00 PM GMT+0

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Data from a poll of more than 11,000 US adults finds that about half (52%) of Americans say they personally know someone who has experienced domestic violence. By 56% to 49%, women are more likely than men to say they know someone who has faced this situation.

Should a loved one ever find themselves on the receiving end of partner violence, three quarters of Americans (77%) are confident in their ability to find resources that could help them.

Young Americans between the ages of 18 to 24 are less confident than their older counterparts when it comes to identifying help, but a majority (63%) are still at least somewhat confident they would know where to turn.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233, or you can chat online here if it is safe for you to do so.

Methodology: 11,711 US adults were asked “Do you personally know anyone who has experienced domestic violence?” and “How confident are you that you would know where to find resources if a close friend or family member were experiencing domestic violence?” Interviews were conducted online October 19 – 20, 2020. Results have been weighted to be representative of the US population.

Image: Getty

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