August 2016Vol. 17, No. 6Data Sheet on Domestic Violence Services

In 2014, local domestic violence programs, including Tribal programs, served about 1.27 million victims of domestic violence, and the data show that many of these victims are children. Domestic Violence Services Provided by State and Tribal Grantees, a data report from the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), presents demographic information, including age, gender, and ethnicity, about these victims, as well as information about the kinds of supports and services accessed.

The information provided includes the following:

• The majority of the adults served, approximately 92 percent, were female; only 8 percent were male.
• Almost 50 percent of the victims served were ages 25 to 29.
• About 22 percent (or about 288,633) of the victims were children under age 18.
• Young adults aged 18 to 24 made up 15 percent of the victims.
• About 9,260 youth were direct victims of intimate partner violence in their own relationships.
• Of the clients that received domestic violence services, 45 percent were White, 18 percent were African-American, 14 percent were Hispanic or Latino, and 3 percent were American Indian/Alaskan Native.
• Local domestic violence programs provided 8.2 million shelter nights for victims and their families, with an average stay per family of 33 nights.

The report notes that the majority of clients served by domestic violence programs were provided support services only, including advocacy and counseling.

FYSB is an agency of the Administration for Families and Children, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The data sheet is available on the FYSB website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fysb/fvpsa_state_tribal_20150731.pdf (289 KB).