Making the Case for Domestic Violence Prevention Through the Lens of Cost-Benefit
A Manual for Domestic Violence Prevention Practitioners
(and the State and Local Policy-Makers They Present to)
Sample Local Fact Sheet
From the TC-TAT Organizing Kit, available at: www.transformcommunities.org
Is Domestic Violence a Problem in Your Community?
Population: 46,500
Number of adults (age 18 and over): 35,725
Number of 911 calls in 1997 to police department for domestic violence: 277
Number of 911 calls that were verified cases of domestic violence: 105
Number of battered women’s shelters in the county: 1
Number of beds in the shelter: 16
Translating the Numbers into “Social Math”
In 1997 there were 105 verified cases of domestic violence in a community of 46,500 people. According to the Department of Justice only 1 in 19 cases of domestic violence is reported.
Therefore, we can estimate that there were about 1,995 actual incidents in 1997. That means there were approximately 38 incidents per week, or 5 incidents of domestic violence per day, in our small community.
105 verified cases x 19 = 1,995 total incidents in 1997
1,995 incidents -:- 52 weeks per year = 38 per week
38 incidents per week -:- 7 days per week = 5 incidents per day
Now use the data in press releases, public speaking, etc. to move the community to action.
THIS MATERIAL CAN BE QUITE USEFUL IN MAKING THE CASE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.