About Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.

Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.

Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair-pulling, biting, etc. Physical abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use.

Sexual Abuse: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.

Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual's sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one's abilities, name-calling, or damaging one's relationship with his or her children.

Economic Abuse: Making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one's access to money, or forbidding one's attendance at school or employment.

Psychological Abuse: Causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner's family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. Domestic violence occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships and can happen to intimate partners who are married, living together, or dating.

Domestic violence not only affects those who are abused, but also has a substantial effect on family members, friends, co-workers, other witnesses, and the community at large. Children, who grow up witnessing domestic violence, are among those seriously affected by this crime. Frequent exposure to violence in the home not only predisposes children to numerous social and physical problems, but also teaches them that violence is a normal way of life - therefore, increasing their risk of becoming society's next generation of victims and abusers.

Sources: National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Center for Victims of Crime, and WomensLaw.org.

District of Columbia Overview

4,948 people were served at the two DVIC locations in 2005. The DC Superior Court DVIC location served 3,487 clients, and the DVIC satellite office in Southeast Washington (DVIC-SE) served 1,461.
Source: (DVIC) Domestic Violence Intake Center, 2004-2006

In 2005, of the 2,556 DVIC/DVIC-SE clients who indicated residency*:

43% resided in Ward 8
19% resided in Ward 7
13% resided in Ward 5
10% resided in Ward 4
9% resided in Ward 2
6% Other (Wards 1, 3, 6; Outside DC)

Source: Domestic Violence Intake Center, 2004-2006

In 2005, domestic violence case filings totaled 8,386, an increase of 3.7% over 2004, including 4,426 misdemeanors and 3,960 Intrafamily cases^a.
Sources: DC Superior Court Annual Reports 2004-2006;
District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, 2006

In 2005, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received 27,401 domestic-related crime calls-one every 19 minutes, including 11,053 calls to report domestic violence crimes (30 calls per day) and 16,348 calls to report family dispute crimes (45 calls per day).
Sources: Metropolitan Police Department, 2004-2006

The number of domestic violence calls to MPD has increased 22% in the past three years, from 9,045 calls in 2002 to 11,053 calls in 2005.
Sources: Metropolitan Police Department, 2004-2006

Domestic-related calls accounted for 65% of all interpersonal crime calls to MPD in 2005.
Sources: Metropolitan Police Department, 2004-2006

In cases where victim-offender relationship could be established from 2001 to 2004, MPD reported that there were 51 murders attributed to domestic/family violence, including 41 adult/youth victims of domestic violence, and 10 child/infant victims of child abuse.
Sources: Metropolitan Police Department-- UCR Report, 2005;
A Report on Homicide in the District of Columbia 2001-2004;
A Report on Juvenile Homicide 2002-2004

The Domestic Violence Intake Center (DVIC) is a collaborative project of government and non-government agencies designed to provide coordinated services to domestic violence survivors in the District of Columbia. Partners on the project include: the US Attorney's Office, DC Office of the Attorney General, the Metropolitan Police Department, Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE), DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence/SAFE Program, Crime Victims Compensation Program, Legal Aid Society, Ramona's Way, Center for Child Protection/Victim Service Center, and the DC Superior Court Clerk's Office.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking please know that help is available.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, please call:

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

In addition, please visit our page on Domestic Violence Resources.

If you are a victim of sexual assault, please call:

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)
1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
1-877-739-3895

In addition, please visit our page on Sexual Assault Resources.

If you are a victim of stalking, please call:

National Center for Victims of Crime, Stalking Resource Center
1-800-394-2255
1-800-211-7996 (TTY)