Every year, intimate partner violence against women in the U.S. results in $5.9 billion in health-related costs, lost-productivity costs, and lost earnings, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

25% of women and 7.6% of men said they had been raped or physically assaulted during their lifetime by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner or date, according to the Violence Against Women Survey conducted by the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

74% of employed battered women are harassed by their partners while they are at work, reports the Family Violence Prevention Fund.

The U.S. Department of Justice found that current or former partners hurt 37% of women treated in emergency rooms for violent injuries.

Domestic violence is the #1 cause of homelessness in 44% of cities, reports A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities: A 25-City Survey, December 2003, published by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

From 1999 to 2003, an intimate partner killed a Michigan woman every six days, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Within a community the size of the University of Michigan, statistics alone would indicate that there are many women and men—faculty, staff, students and visitors—whose lives are touched by violence.  But, of course, we have more than statistics to guide us.  Numerous University units and community agencies, at least a partial list of which follows, have decades of experience in preventing and responding to violence and assisting survivors.

Now CEW is partnering with University Human Resources in leading efforts to create a comprehensive, coordinated approach to dating and domestic violence within the University of Michigan community.  Although many anti-violence efforts and resources currently exist, they are not linked to form a complete and unified program.  As a result, the Center has called together partners on and off campus to:

identify gaps in existing initiatives, policies and procedures create procedural guidelines that fall under the University of Michigan Policy on Violence in the University Community

create a website and accompanying print materials that define dating/domestic violence;

provide guidance to survivors and to managers, colleagues, friends or family members who are concerned about a University employee or student;

address safety planning for individuals and University units;

identify campus and community resources

create an educational campaign that will educate members of the community about expectations for behavior and resources that can help.

Read more about the Center’s work on sexual harassment and violence against women.

If you want help for yourself or someone you care about, click here for resources in Washtenaw and surrounding counties or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.7233.

Additional resources available to students, staff, and faculty on the Ann Arbor campus include:

Education and assistance through the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC)

Personal safety and law enforcement assistance through the Department of Public Safety

Referrals to SafeHouse Center, the domestic violence and sexual assault services agency serving Washtenaw County.

Counseling for students through Counseling and Psychological Services

Assistance for employees through the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (main campus) and the Employee Assistance Program (health system).

Help and education through the University of Michigan Health System Abuse Prevention Initiative

Awareness through the University of Michigan Health System Program for Multicultural Health