Findings About Partner Violence From the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study

The 1992–96 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) indicates that in 1996 victimization by intimates— spouses, ex-spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and former boyfriends and girlfriends—accounts for about 21 percent of the violent crime experienced by women and about 2 percent of the violence experienced by men. Rates of nonlethal violence are highest among women ages 16–24 and women in low-income households. These statistics highlight the importance of studying partner violence among young adults, both married and unmarried, who represent all socioeconomic backgrounds.