Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

According to a new report released this week by the Bureau of Justice, there has been a dramatic decline in intimate partner violence in the United States. Between 1994 and 2010, the overall rate of violence involving spouses, former spouses and unmarried couples has “declined by 64%, from 9.8 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older to 3.6 per 1,000.”

The total number of incidents remains high. In 2010, nearly one million cases of intimate partner violence were reported. Last year, the Dart Center hosted a two day workshop entitled “Out of the Shadows: Reporting on Intimate Partner Violence” to help journalists and news organizations cover this critical public health issue. Videos, tip sheets and other resources from the workshop are housed on our site.