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If you are being abused, confidential support is available.

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local crisis hotline


National Domestic
Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
1- 866-331-9474

Domestic Violence Facts & Statistics

Colorado Domestic Abuse Service Statistics

In 2008, the State of Colorado's Domestic Violence Program (DVP) provided funding to 44 domestic abuse service programs around the state. Those 44 programs report that they provided the following free and confidential services:

Hotline Call Support:

  • Answered 46,780 emergency crisis intervention phone calls, an increase of 20% over 2007 when programs responded to 38,863 calls.
    • Crisis line workers engage victims in safety planning and provide appropriate referrals to community resources.

Shelter:

  • Provided 98,044 nights of shelter to 5,087 individuals.
    • Shelter residents are staying in shelter for longer periods of time before bridging to permanent housing. Anecdotal evidence suggests this is related to a lack of affordable housing in many communities.
  • In 2008, 8,660 individuals were turned away from shelters in Colorado due to a lack of capacity, a 36% increase from 2007, when 6,341 individuals were turned away.

Counseling to Shelter Residents:

  • Provided 91,197 individual counseling sessions.
  • Provided 31,813 group counseling sessions.
  • Provided 55,957 advocacy sessions.

Counseling to Community Members:

  • Provided 30,372 sessions of individual counseling.
  • Provided 26,495 contacts through group counseling sessions.
  • Provided 57,156 advocacy/support services session.

Transitional Housing:

  • Fifteen DVP-funded programs provided transitional housing to 332 women, a 12% increase as compared to 2007.

Community Education:

  • Gave 2,277 presentations to 72,850 individuals such as students, businesses and civic organizations.
  • Provided 809 training and technical assistance presentations to 13,525 individuals such as law enforcement, clergy, medical professionals and others who encounter victims in their professions.

Innovative Strategies to Respond to Domestic Violence:

Despite challenges, programs constantly improve upon existing services in a variety of ways. Examples include:

  • A weekly protection order clinic for victims seeking support from the courts. (A Woman's Place)
  • Outreach centers that increase the programs' ability to reach and serve more victims and their children. (A Woman's Place and Family Crisis Services)
  • Outreach to seasonal ski industry workers from Jamaica and Africa. (Advocates Against Battering and Violence)
  • Three weekly therapy groups for youth ages 11 – 18 providing a safe environment for youth to talk about the violence in their lives. (Alternative Horizons)
  • An economic independence group to help women develop micro-business ventures and employment options. (Alternatives Against Family Violence)
  • A parenting education group for victims to work toward disrupting the generational pattern of violence. (AMEND)
  • Use of two vehicles for program staff and volunteers to pick up victims who live in isolated rural communities who need to come to shelter and to transport victims already in shelter who need to access community services. (Crossroads Safehouse)
  • A "How to Help" support group for friends and family to learn how they can respond to victims in their lives. (Family Tree)
  • "Time Out for Kids" support group for youth to talk about the effects of domestic violence, safety planning, and self-esteem while the non-abusive parent attends a peer group to discuss the impact of the violence on their children and how to maintain healthy relationships with them. (Family Tree)
  • Distribution of Spanish brochures for the first time in Gunnison County. (Jubilee House)
  • Increased support group attendance from 3 to 30 in one year. (Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence)
  • Establishment of a youth advocate position in the shelter to work with teens to address healthy relationships, employment and success after they leave the shelter. (Women's Crisis and Family Outreach Center)

Community Volunteers at Domestic Violence Programs:

  • In 2008, 3,915 volunteers provided 306,585 hours of community service to programs. Their support is crucial to victims' ongoing efforts to reach safety.

Profiles of Domestic Violence Victims served by DVP-funded programs:

  • Age
    • Age 0-12 = 17% of victims
    • Age 13-17 = 5% of victims
    • Age 18-24 = 14% of victims
    • Age 25-59 = 46% of victims
    • Age 60+ = 2% of victims
    • Age unknown = 16% of victims
  • Rural Victims of Domestic Violence
    • In 2008, 7,884 victims residing in rural communities received services.
  • GLBT Victims of Domestic Violence
    • In 2008, 325 individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT) received services.
  • Victims with Limited English Proficiency
    • In 2008, 2,645 victims with limited English proficiency received services.
    • Most programs have bilingual and bicultural staff and all programs have access to interpreters.
  • Victim Race/Ethnicity
    • Asian victims = 2%
    • Black victims = 4%
    • Caucasian victims = 46%
    • Latino victims = 26%
    • Multi-racial victims = 2%
    • Native American victims = 2%
    • 'Other' victims = 2%
    • 'Unknown' victims = 16%
  • Victims with Disabilities
    • In 2008, 1,536 victims had a known disability.

Review the Final 2008 Domestic Abuse Service Statistics of the Domestic Violence Program .

Review the Final 2007 Domestic Violence Service Statistics of the Domestic Abuse Assistance Program.

Review the Final 2006 Domestic Violence Service Statistics of the Domestic Abuse Assistance Program.

Review the Final 2005 Domestic Violence Service Statistics of the Domestic Abuse Assistance Program.

National and Statewide Domestic Violence Services Census

On September 17th, 2008, the National Network Against Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and programs across the county that provide services to domestic abuse victims participated in the National Census of Domestic Violence Services. This Census Day allows NNEDV to collect anonymous, unduplicated, and non-invasive information about the number of victims served and the types of services provided in one 24-hour period.

In Colorado, 41 out of 44 local domestic abuse service programs participated in the NNEDV Census Day. While this is 93% of all programs, and thus the full numbers of victims served and services provided on that day remain unknown, those 41 participating programs reported:

  • 1,028 victims of domestic violence were served in one day.
  • 574 domestic violence victims found respite in shelter or transitional housing.
  • 454 adults and children received services such as individual counseling, legal advocacy and children's support groups.
  • 131 requests for services went unmet. Insufficient resources prevented programs from meeting all the need.

Review the Colorado summary from the NNEDV's 2008 National Census on Domestic Violence Services.

Review the National Report from NNEDV's 2008 National Census on Domestic Violence Services.

Colorado Domestic Abuse Fatality Statistics

In Colorado in 2008, at least 33 people died in 24 fatal incidents related to domestic abuse. Those incidents included:

  • 17 intimate partners murdered (16 female victims were killed by a male partner, and 1 male victim was killed by a female partner).
  • 7 children murdered.
  • 1 friend, 1 relative, and 1 dating partner of a victim murdered.
  • 4 perpetrator suicides.
  • 2 perpetrators killed by law enforcement.

The victims ranged in age from 21 months old to 64 years old, whereas the offenders ranged in age from 18 to 68. The most frequent cause of death was use of a firearm, followed by stabbing.

Review the Denver Metro Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee / Denver Domestic Violence Coordinating Council's 2008 Summary

Review the full 2007 Colorado Fatality Report from Project Safeguard

Review Project Safeguard's 2006 Colorado Fatality Report "Terrorism in the Home"

Review the full 2005 Colorado Fatality Report from Project Safeguard

Colorado Domestic Abuse Statistics

[Download a PDF version of these and other Colorado statistics]

  • In 2007, 6,341 individuals were turned away from shelters in Colorado due to a lack of capacity, a 7% increase from 2006, where 5,886 individuals were turned away and a 60% increase compared to 2005, during which 2,537 victims were turned away.
    Source: Colorado Department of Human Services, Domestic Abuse Assistance Program, "2007 Annual Report."
  • Victims of abuse often report that they return to an abusive situation because they cannot find affordable long-term housing in Colorado.
    Source: Colorado Department of Human Services, Domestic Abuse Assistance Program, "2007 Annual Report."
  • In 2007, 17,216 criminal cases filed in Colorado County Courts were classified as domestic violence cases (Does not include municipal or felony case filings).
    Source: Colorado State Court Administrator's Office, "Colorado Judicial Branch Annual Statistical Reports: Misdemeanor Filings by Type of Case for FY 2007."
  • Almost half of all women murdered in Colorado are killed by an intimate partner.
    Source: Project Safeguard, "2007 Fatality Review Program Report." Denver, Colorado 2007
  • 19 children were killed during an incident of domestic violence from 2000 to 2007.
    Source: Project Safeguard, "2007 Fatality Review Program Report." Denver, Colorado 2007
  • Nearly half (43% or 2,165) the residents in shelter during 2007 were children, age 18 and under.
    Source: Colorado Department of Human Services, Domestic Abuse Assistance Program, "2007 Annual Report."

National Domestic Abuse Statistics

[Download a PDF version of these and other National statistics]

  • The National Crime Victimization Survey found that 85% of intimate partner violence victims were women.
    Source: Rennision. Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, DOJ (US). 2003.
  • Nearly 5.3 million intimate partner victimizations occur each year among U.S. women ages 18 and older. This violence results in nearly 2 million injuries and nearly 1,300 deaths.
    Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003.
  • In a household survey, it was found that pregnant women are 60.6% more likely to be beaten than women who are not pregnant. Violence is cited as a pregnancy complication more often than diabetes, hypertension or any other serious complication.
    Source: Battering and Pregnancy. Midwife Today. 1998.
  • If stalking involves intimate partners, the average duration of stalking is 2.2 years. Of intimate partner stalkers, 73% threatened their victims with physical violence, and almost 43% of victims experienced one or more violent incident by their stalker.
    Source: Tjaden & Thoennes. Stalking in America: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey. Office of Justice Programs, DOJ (US); 1998.
  • Immigrant women often encounter additional obstacles to attaining safety. Those obstacles may include language and cultural differences between themselves and potential helpers, and immigration concerns.
    Source: Orloff et al., With No Place to Turn: Improving Advocacy for Battered Immigrant Women, Family Law Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 2, 313. 1995.
  • Victims of intimate partner violence lose a total of nearly 8 million days of paid work-the equivalent of more than 32,000 full-time jobs-and nearly 5.6 million days of household productivity each year as a result of the abuse.
    Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003.
 
©2008 Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence