Domestic Violence Statistics

More than 10 million people are abused each year in the U.S.

10,000,000

At PCADV, we’re working to eliminate this number. We can only do this with your help. By spreading awareness of the devastating effects of abuse, we can rally together to create change.

1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner

$156 billion the estimated lifetime economic burden of intimate partner violence in Pennsylvania

2,574 victims were served in one day in Pennsylvania (2020)

In Pennsylvania, 109 victims died from domestic violence incidents last year.

56% were killed by a current or former intimate partner

Method of Killing

A Deadly Link

Domestic Violence Thrives in Isolation

A year in isolation...Victims of domestic violence know too well the fear and anxiety that come with being in an abusive situation and being isolated from the outside world. COVID-19 didn’t cause domestic violence, but abusers leveraged the circumstances to exert new power and control tactics like withholding information about preventing and protecting against the virus, preventing access to medical care by hiding insurance cards, and withholding personal hygiene supplies. In many cases, the pandemic shut off victims and survivors from their families, friends, and workplaces and forced them to quarantine with their abusers.

View the PCADV Fatality Report

Victim's Stories

These stories illustrate that no age, race, gender, or socio-economic class is immune to domestic violence. They also represent its brutality.

Allegheny County, PA — An 80-year-old woman was writing out bills when she was attacked by her 42-year-old son. He allegedly knocked her to the ground and began kicking and stomping her before throwing her down the basement stairs. The man told police that his mother was still breathing after he dragged her across the basement and left her to die. A day later the man called the police and claimed he had killed his mother. The home had a history of domestic disturbance calls to the police.

There is Hope

29,306 completed Lethality Assessments since 2012

19,826 were identified as high-danger. 36% of high-danger victims accessed services.

Pennsylvania’s Lethality Assessment Program has been connecting victims with life-saving services since 2012.

We know that lives have been saved as a result of connecting victims with domestic violence services and we are extraordinarily grateful for the law enforcement agencies and programs that have participated in the program.

Learn More About The Lethality Assessment Program

Your donations contribute toward programs like these, and fighting for policies that will help save lives.

Donate Today

In memory of those who lost their lives to domestic violence in 2020

  • Allegheny — 12
    • Cindy Woods
    • Joseph Perlick-Spemak
    • Anthony Orosco
    • David Howard
    • Brittney Alker
    • Kristy Jefferson
    • Bing Liu
    • Niki Alen Happel
    • Derrick Stanford
    • Makeida Thompson
    • Derek Davis
    • Junaid Akhlas
  • Berks – 6
    • Carlos Molina-Almendares
    • John Vannatter
    • Christina Blackburn
    • Melissa Gonzalez-Torres
    • Randall Wickizer
    • Chad Macwilliam
  • Blair — 1
    • Tyler Slippey
  • Butler — 1
    • Robert Wagner
  • Cambria — 4
    • Lee Dill
    • Marlene Krens
    • Amanda Boring
    • Sheila A. Clem
  • Carbon — 3
    • Ashley Belson
    • Ava Lerario
    • Laura Jean Else
  • Clarion — 1
    • Lexis Ann Walker
  • Clearfield —
    • Rebecca “Beckie” Solt
  • Columbia — 2
    • Sharon Kressler
    • Flint Kressler
  • Crawford — 1
    • Michael Gregg Thieme
  • Cumberland — 3
    • Sydney Parmelee
    • Kaylee Jones
    • Ryan Young
  • Dauphin — 4
    • Kyra Haley
    • Bernard Everson
    • Kelly Anne Patton
    • Leon White-Jones
  • Delaware — 3
    • Stephanie Miller
    • She’Kierrah Adams
    • Shantel Harmon
  • Elk — 1
    • Jessica Thivener
  • Erie — 3
    • Daniel Galvin
    • Wendy Mantsch Knepper
    • Jacob Carr
  • Fayette — 2
    • Tina Shetler-Allen
    • William Stewart
  • Indiana — 1
    • Jerald Bartlebaugh
  • Juniata — 1
    • Christy Siennick-Valencia
  • Lackawana — 1
    • Tara Evans
  • Lancaster — 1
    • Kristin Graham
  • Lebanon — 2
    • Lewis W. Hodges, Sr.
    • Elena Mercado
  • Lehigh — 1
    • Todd Scholl
  • Luzerne — 6
    • George Bacon
    • Patricia Walski
    • Brandon Thomas
    • Carlos Taffanelly
    • Erica Shultz
    • Patricia Watkins
  • Lycoming — 1
    • Kristin Walters
  • Mercer — 3
    • Natasha Talley
    • Clarice D. Somerville
    • Kelli K. Johnston
  • Monroe — 3
    • Frank Azzaretto
    • Howard Dowell
    • Nicholas Joseph Colatrella
  • Montgomery — 9
    • Sabrina Harooni
    • Mary Hatfield
    • Jaylin Thomas
    • Latiya Clea
    • Mekenda Saunders
    • Morgan Darlyn McCafferry
    • Nade`ge St. Preux
    • Rebecca Hall Evans
    • Stephen J. Mihalcik
  • Northumberland — 2
    • Dawn Latsha
    • Anthony Hurst (child)
  • Philadelphia — 11
    • Rochelle Jackson
    • Nasir Proctor
    • Ancil Callender
    • Arnim Callender
    • Malissa Moczulski
    • Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells
    • Richard Pryor
    • Tam Nguyen
    • Nico Rande-Reed-Johnson
    • Josalissa Melendez
    • Thurston L. Powell, III
  • Pike — 1
    • Ronald Paige
  • Schuylkill — 1
    • April Mahmod
  • Snyder — 2
    • Heather Sue Campbell
    • Mathew Bowersox
  • Somerset — 1
    • Joshua Hilegas
  • Susquehanna — 2
    • Rebecca Gordon
    • Terrance Whitmire
  • Tioga — 1
    • Ida Storms
  • Washington — 1
    • Joseph Robert Warrick, Sr.
  • Westmoreland — 4
    • Richard Hildreth
    • Andrew Pristas
    • Sandra Montijar
    • Karen Dufford
  • York — 4
    • Carol Heard
    • Elizabeth Schlenoff
    • David Schlenoff
    • Lauren Gallagher