Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
Centers for Disease Control Reports the Health-Related Costs of Domestic Violence Exceeds $5.8 Billion Each Year in the United States

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a report detailing the health-related and productivity costs of rape, physical assault, stalking and homicide by intimate partners. The report, “The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States,” indicates that the cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion annually. Of this total, nearly $4.1 billion are for direct medical and mental health care services while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion.

“These findings by the CDC support what advocates for victims of domestic violence and their children have said all along,” said Mary R. Lauby, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV) Executive Director. “Violence against women impacts the health of entire communities.

In addition to the tremendous toll violence takes on the victims and their children, there are also costs to society. Health care, employers, the legal system, and more must pay the cost for violence left unchecked. Advocacy programs make a profound difference in the lives of victims and children and have been shown to save both lives and produce significant savings in other systems. Local programs need continued support of their communities and we all must work together to prevent domestic violence.”

“We have always known that domestic violence has a devastating human cost. Not only does it damage physical and mental health as well as safety and family stability—it also takes human lives,” said Kitty Kocol, Administrator of the Dept. of Health and Family Services, Division of Children and Family Services. “From a public standpoint, it is vital that we also begin to calculate the economic impact of domestic violence, and this new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an important step in that process.”

"We must shift our focus to preventing domestic violence so that we can stop it before it occurs in order to reduce both the economic and human costs of violence. Educating youth and teens to understand what healthy relationships are and that violence is inappropriate will have lasting effects for generations to come," said Sue Ann Thompson, President of the Wisconsin Women's Foundation.

CDC researchers examined the data from the 1995 National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) for the incidents of domestic violence, the costs, how health care was used, and how much work time was lost for women who experienced violence by an intimate partner. This report reflects the most current and reliable data that is available on intimate partner violence and its related costs. Because of data limitations, the costs presented in the report likely underestimate the economic burden of domestic violence in the United States. For example, the report excludes such important costs as those related to legal and justice systems. However, this report may prove useful for calculating the health and employer-related savings associated with reducing domestic violence.

Mary R. Lauby also noted, “It is estimated that U.S. women lose nearly 8 million days of paid work each year because of violence perpetrated against them by a current or former intimate partner. Employers must educate themselves about domestic violence so they better understand resources that can help their battered employees achieve safety.”

Recently, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence was selected by the CDC as one of 14 state domestic violence coalitions to develop and implement community coordinated responses to prevent domestic violence.

The full report on the Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/IPVBook-Final-Feb18.pdf.

Press release issued May 7, 2003 by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They can be reached at 608-255-0539. This also appeared in the June 2003 issue of the Wisconsin Women's Network's newsletter, The Stateswoman.