Laws Mandating Reporting of Domestic Violence

DOMESTIC violence is increasingly recognized as a major public health problem, affecting individuals of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Domestic violence has been defined as a pattern of coercive control consisting of physical, sexual, and/or psychological assaults against current or former intimate partners.¹Batterers also commonly use economic abuse, isolation, and intimidation to exert power over their partners. This article often refers to the battering of women, since 90% to 95% of domestic violence victims are women.²Domestic violence also can occur against men and in homosexual as well as heterosexual relationships.³,⁴ Approximately 4 million women are believed to be battered every year by their partners.⁵At least one fifth of all women will be physically assaulted by a partner or ex-partner during their lifetime.⁶Domestic violence is believed to be the most common cause of serious injury to women⁷and accounts for more