Yesterday, hundreds of people gathered in Minneapolis in order to further understand the roots of domestic violence and how to stop it. The focus of the local meeting was the results of a recent crime survey. The purpose of the survey was to better understand why individuals who experience domestic violence fail to report the incident.
The survey completed on domestic violence asked 6,200 residents of Minnesota to complete eight pages of questions on their experiences. The survey demonstrated that 5 percent of the surveyed participants experienced domestic violence over the past year, and the majority (60 percent) of those that experienced domestic violence were women.
Additional facts were revealed about the women who experienced domestic abuse in the state. Almost 40 percent of the women who experience domestic abuse earned less than $30,000 per year. Nearly 30 percent of the women were single, and almost 20 percent were under the age of 25 years.
In addition to trying to determine who in Minnesota experiences domestic violence, the survey also tried to gather information on why victims tend not to report it. One-third of respondents explained they did not want their partner arrested, and another one-third said the issue was a private one. Just over one-quarter believed their experience was not severe or serious enough to call the police.
A research consultant with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that no matter the reasons why adults do not report domestic violence issues, the issues still affect any children who witness it. The research consultant said, “Violence really creates more violence.”
Source: myfoxtwincities.com, “Minnesota study analyzes domestic violence,” Tim Blotz, Aug. 23, 2011