The resources in this section offer information on how domestic violence affects the health of the adult victim and their children, how it impacts parenting and a community's economic and cultural well-being, and strategies for responding to these effects.
Impact on Victims
Current Evidence: Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma-Related Mental Health Conditions & Chronic Illness (PDF - 355 KB)
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (2014)
Examines the physical and mental health consequences of intimate partner violence. This resource discusses the increased likelihood that survivors develop depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance use, and other chronic health conditions.
Dreams Deferred: A Survey on the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Survivors' Education, Careers, and Economic Security (PDF - 1,300 KB)
Hess & Del Rosario (2018)
Institute for Women's Policy Research
Explores the educational, career, and economic effects that domestic violence can have on women based on a survey given to women living in transitional housing, domestic violence shelters, or other domestic violence program. The survey reveals how abuse effects the economic aspects of survivors' lives, creating a complex set of problems for the victim.
Effects of Domestic Violence
Joyful Heart Foundation
Explains the physical and mental health effects caused by exposure to intimate partner violence.
Effects of Domestic Violence, Domestic Abuse on Women and Children
Gluck (2012)
HealthyPlace
Details the effects of domestic violence—including physical injuries—on women and long-term effects such as mental health problems, eating disorders, chronic pain, and others.
Fostering Resilience in Children Traumatized by Domestic Violence in Collaboration With Their Non-Offending Parent [Webinar]
Johnson, Hill, & Packard (2019)
National Indigenous Women's Resource Center
Presents slides from a webinar on the consequences for children who have been traumatized by witnessing violence against a parent or caregiver. The webinar considers ways to recognize how this trauma affects children and offers methods to support healing and building resiliency for children and their parent(s).
Impact of Domestic Violence on Health
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (2019)
Provides information on the impacts of domestic violence on victims' physical, mental, and reproductive health.
Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Women's Mental Health (PDF - 301 KB)
Karakurt, Smith, & Whiting (2014)
Journal of Family Violence, 29(7)
Explores the impact of intimate partner violence on women's mental health and analyzes their readiness to change their situations, negative symptoms, and feelings of guilt and self-blame after they moved into domestic violence shelters.
Long-Term Physical and Mental Health Effects of Domestic Violence (PDF - 222 KB)
Alejo (2014)
Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science, 2(1)
Explores whether men or women suffer more long-term problems as a result of domestic violence by comparing studies of intimate partner violence committed by men in homosexual and heterosexual relationships. Results showed women suffer more long-term health problems.
Women Who Petition for Restraining Orders Against Abusers Typically See Decreased Earnings
American Sociological Association (2015)
Explains the economic cost of leaving and filing a restraining order, which may make it more difficult for women to leave abusive relationships.
Impact on the Community
The Economic Cost of Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (PDF - 319 KB)
Institute for Women's Policy Research (2017)
Examines the economic impact of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking, all of which can contribute to medical costs, victims staying home from work or inability to hold a job, lower wages resulting from diminished educational opportunities, and other consequences to society.
Economic Impact of Domestic Violence
DomesticShelters.org (2015)
Presents statistics and information on the economic impact of domestic violence and the costs associated with health-care spending, criminal activity, labor market productivity, childhood trauma, and other community factors resulting from intimate partner violence.
Exposure to Domestic Violence Costs U.S. Government $55 Billion Each Year
Case Western University (2018)
Describes how the U.S. Government spends more than $55 billion each year on the effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence.
THRIVE: A Framework for Understanding the Community Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence [Webinar]
Parks & Crawford (2016)
Prevention Institute & National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Utilizes the social determinants of the health framework to explore societal structures that contribute to intimate partner violence. This webinar enables practitioners to understand the effect of intimate partner violence and how to approach identification and prevention at a community level.
Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019)
Explores the consequences of intimate partner violence, its connection to other forms of violence, and its health and economic consequences for the larger community.