Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is more than just a "family problem," it is a crime.  The Sergeant Bluff Police Department (SBPD) recognizes that domestic violence is a major problem throughout the United States.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, now is the time to start thinking about protecting yourself and your children.  Call the police or contact a shelter if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence.  Please do not wait until it is too late.  Hotlines, counseling, and shelters are available.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.  It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse.  The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically.

Domestic Violence in Iowa

• In 2011, 6,628 domestic violence incidents were reported to Iowa law enforcement.  Many others went unreported.
• In 2014, 13 Iowans were killed in domestic violence homicides.  54% of those murdered were killed with guns.
• 17.3 % of Iowa women are stalked during their lifetimes.

NCADV. (2015). Domestic violence national statistics. Retrieved from www.ncadv.org

Did you know...

• 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.
• On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines receive approximately 21,000 calls, an average of close to 15 calls every minute.
• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
• The presence of a gun in the home during a domestic violence incident increases the risk of homicide by at least 500%.
• 72% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner, 94% of the victims of these crimes are female.

NCADV. (2015). Domestic violence national statistics. Retrieved from www.ncadv.org