A recent report released by New York City’s Health Department examines a strong connection between women murdered in the city and domestic violence. The report (see PDF) found that 44 percent of all women murdered in the city between 2003 and 2005 were killed as a result of domestic violence.
The report defines domestic violence or intimate partner violence as “any violent or coercive behavior, including physical, sexual and psychological abuse, perpetrated by someone who is or was involved in an intimate relationship with the victim.” It found that women especially at risk include those between the ages of 20 and 29, black and Hispanic women, and those with a low income level. These women are more than two times more likely to be killed or hospitalized due to domestic violence than women from other age groups, racial backgrounds, or with higher incomes.
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden encouraged women to report abuse, stating that “every act of intimate partner violence is a crime and a tragedy. No woman should be threatened or abused, let alone in her home or by her partner,” Gothamist reported.
