When and Where Do People Get Attacked the Most?

Aggravated assault is the fourth-most common crime that occurs in the United States. It’s ranked under larceny/theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

An aggravated assault occurs when an attack occurs with the intent to cause grave injury to another person. It can involve a weapon.

Weapon-based and weaponless aggravated assault incidents account for about 7% of the reported crimes to police each year.

The saddest fact is that the most common place for someone to experience violence is in their home from someone they love. One-third of women and one-quarter of men in the United States have experienced at least one episode of domestic violence in their lifetime.

According to NCADV, about 20 people each minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. That means over ten million people can benefit from self-defense training and situational recognition.

How to Stop Domestic Violence at Home

Help is available if you are dealing with domestic violence right now. Call 1 (800) 799-7233 to speak with a trained specialist. This toll-free number is available around-the-clock and offers access to over 200 languages through a translation service.

Next, it is important to remember the abuser is the person who needs to change. If you don’t see yourself taking a self-defense stance, your next best option is to leave.

Deciding to leave can trigger violence. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at the number above to create a safety plan. You can also talk about how to approach a friend, attend group sessions, or contact the police if you feel unsafe.

Your first and only priority must be the safety of you and your loved ones.

What Can I Do to Stop Domestic Violence?

The only way to end the cycle of violence is to stop relationship abuse and violent control cycles. That means we must teach kids to respect their partners by demonstrating healthy relationships.

That strategy requires long-term investments. If you’re facing a problem right now, your goal must be to get away. That means you need to leave that home, even if you don’t know where you’ll spend the night.

Here are some options that don’t require any self-defense knowledge.

1. Get in your car with your loved ones and drive somewhere. Anywhere. It can be a random spot. Don’t go somewhere that is part of your regular routine because your partner might guess that location.
2. Talk with a local domestic counseling program about getting shelter space until you can find your feet.
3. File a petition to have the court file a protection order. It won’t stop an attack, but it does let you call the police for help if a violation occurs.
4. Follow through with your new life plan. Many people return to abusive relationships, knowing they’ll get hurt because they can’t let that person go emotionally.

When you need to defend yourself or your family from an attacker at home, use the tools and resources found on this site to give yourself an upper hand. We offer several non-lethal options that let you escape from where you are, get out of the house, and protect those you love.

If you are under attack, don’t forget to dial 911 to initiate an emergency response in your community.