Domestic Violence Stats in NYC Remain Stubbornly High

Domestic Violence Stats in NYC Remain Stubbornly High

In NYC, violent crime numbers have continually gone down year-over-year since they spiked during the pandemic. But amidst a wave of safer streets, New York must contend with one crime statistic that stays frustratingly high: domestic and intimate partner violence (or IPV).

The Pandemic and Violent Crime Trends

The “COVID crime spike” was a nationwide phenomenon: Across major cities, we saw steep rises in violent crime through mid-2022, followed by steady falls below pre-COVID levels up to today. The fact that this was so widespread and uniform in pattern indicates how the pandemic’s disastrous sociological effects became the biggest obstacle to community safety.

And yet, post-COVID, we not only returned to a lower level of violent crime overall, but even continued down past the pre-pandemic trend. So how come we haven’t seen those same trends when it comes to IPV and domestic violence stats in NYC?

Unpacking the Available Data for IPV

National data shows increases in domestic violence across major cities throughout and, more alarmingly, after the pandemic. What’s worse, we know that the actual number of instances is far higher due to widespread underreporting.

For those reasons, NYC data on intimate partner violence isn’t going to be perfect, but reports from the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) give us the clearest picture of the situation. Using this data, we see the raw number of IPV cases has barely budged since spiking during the pandemic: after a 5.4% increase in 2022, we only saw a small 1.9% decrease in 2023, followed by an even tinier, almost negligible 0.7% decrease through 2024. Simultaneously, we saw a 10% jump in IPV-related homicides in 2024, indicating how dangerous it’s become for survivors.

Part of the issue here is that many perceive DV as more of a deep-rooted social ill than a pervasive crime to be solved. That attitude is best illustrated by how law enforcement treats reporting mechanisms for other, more stereotypically “visible” crimes.

For instance, the NYPD recently improved the accuracy and frequency with which they identified sexual assault and rape cases based on revised state definitions of the crimes themselves. This widened approach likely explains a 16% data jump in rapes in NYC: it’s the reporting and response that has improved moreso than the crime itself becoming more common (a sentiment most experts share).

Unfortunately, data collection approaches haven’t changed much with IPV and domestic violence stats in NYC. Therefore, we can’t really blame statistical nuances for the persistent high numbers. Instead, we’re faced with the reality that the issue is right in front of us, and we’re simply not doing enough to eradicate it.

Survivor Support Systems Need Reinforcements

In those same ENDGBV reports, data shows that survivors are also seeking help with IPV less and less. The ENDGBV office’s main resource line, NYC HOPE, has seen 19% fewer in-person visits since 2022. The office has also recorded a 4.1% drop in the number of phone calls to the NYC HOPE hotline in that same time. 

These numbers tell us two things. First, we can’t write off the drop in in-person intakes as a side effect of COVID cautiousness, since the phone calls are not making up for that loss in in-person visits (rather, they’re dropping as well). Second, and more alarmingly, we can see now that dwindling survivor outreach numbers are dropping even faster than the pace of IPV cases themselves. Now, we’re forced to conclude that people aren’t seeking help through the traditional means whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the city boasts about a new police task force specifically aimed at fighting DV. Without a doubt, it’s an important tool in the overall effort. But ultimately, law enforcement is only one part of the larger puzzle. Focusing efforts and attention on reactive measures to DV, while essential intervention resources aren’t getting enough support, fails to meet the challenge in its complexity. The two cannot exist in a vacuum, nor can they solve the problem on their own. 

With that in mind, those of us who work in DV legal services would be much more optimistic if we all focused on promoting comprehensive, ground-up solutions beyond shows of force. That way, we can get ahead of these issues and provide resources more effectively – even before the violence happens – to achieve safer, sustainable communities across the five boroughs.

Learn more about how you can support survivors and their children to live free of violence and abuse.

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