The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) provides critical state-level violence victimization prevalence data that are not available elsewhere. This sixth and final report using 2016/2017 data focuses on the lifetime experiences of victimization at national and state levels. State estimates can be used to better understand the magnitude of sexual violence, intimate partner violence and stalking victimization and unique patterns within individual states, which helps in adapting strategies and directing resources for violence prevention and response.
Key findings:
- Sexual violence is common across the U.S. More than half (54.3%) of women and one third of men (30.7%) experienced contact sexual violence during their lifetimes. State estimates of lifetime contact sexual violence victimization ranged from 36.9% to 67.1% for women and 20.4% to 49% for men.
- Stalking is common across the U.S. One in 3 women (31.2%) and 1 in 6 men (16.1%) have experienced stalking in their lifetimes. Across states, estimates of stalking victimization (lifetime) for women ranged from 17.5% to 47.9% and 8.8% to 25.8% for men.
- Intimate partner violence is common across the U.S. An estimated 47% of women and 44% of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes. Lifetime state estimates of any contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner ranged from 31.7% to 61.8% for women and 30.6% to 59.5% for men.
- Violence starts early. An estimated 39.2 million women (31.5%) and 15.7 million men (13.3%) first experienced contact sexual violence prior to age 18. State estimates for women range from 22.4% to 43.8% and state estimates range from 7.2% to 19.8% for men.
The prevalence of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence among men and women shown in this report demonstrate the need for prevention activities throughout the life course and the need to tailor prevention efforts to states’ unique needs and demographics.
