Domestic Violence Counts: Frequently Asked Questions for Journalists

Domestic Violence Counts: National Survey of Domestic Violence Services

Who should I contact if I have any questions about this report?

Please contact the DV Counts team at DVCounts@NNEDV.org.

Can we get data for a specific city or county?

No. For confidentiality and safety reasons, NNEDV only provides state- and territory-level aggregate reports. However, some of our member coalitions may collect and publish similar data at the city or county level; please visit State & U.S. Territory Coalitions for a complete lists of coalitions and their websites.

How can we interpret the data?

Please take a look at the Understanding the Data section to properly understand how you can interpret the study. If you have more questions about the data or the report, please contact the DV Counts team at DVCounts@NNEDV.org.

Year-by-year comparisons point to more victims being served. Does this mean that the number of domestic violence victims has increased?

Increased demand for services does not necessarily mean that prevalence or incidence is increasing.  This increased demand for services may be due in part to economic barriers, effective outreach and education reaching more victims, and other factors.

Is the economy causing more domestic violence?

A bad economy does not cause domestic violence, nor does a good economy stop domestic violence. In homes where domestic violence exists, however, job loss and economic stress and scarcity can be leveraged by abusive partners to exacerbate existing domestic violence. 

What other resources are available?

NNEDV has several handouts that you may find useful. Particularly, take a look at these two documents: Frequently Asked Questions about Domestic Violence and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Factsheet.