Study finds violence affects millions across US with links to health, economic hardship

A new national study reveals the widespread reach of violence across the United States, finding that more than half of U.S. adults have experienced physical violence and nearly half have experienced sexual violence in their lifetimes. The U.S. National Study on Violence Experiences Across the Lifespan (USVEX) also shows stark disparities in who experiences violence and how closely violence is linked to economic hardship, mental health and substance use.

The study, led by researchers from the Newcomb Institute at Tulane University and the University of California San Diego, is the first comprehensive national survey of its kind. Among its findings, the study says intimate partner violence has affected 6 in 10 women and nearly half of men, while people experiencing economic instability reported dramatically higher levels of violence.

“For too long, our understanding of violence has depended largely on crime reports, leaving many experiences invisible,” said Anita Raj, executive director of the Newcomb Institute who co-led the report.

“This study gives us a more complete picture of violence in the United States. It shows us not only how common violence is, but also how closely these experiences are connected with economic hardship, behavioral health and other forms of social inequality. Understanding those connections is critical to developing more effective approaches to prevention.”

The study examined experiences of physical violence, sexual violence and intimate partner violence across the lifespan, as well as how those experiences intersect with behavioral health, economic hardship, neighborhood safety, substance use and other factors associated with violence exposure and recovery.

Among the report’s findings:

• Physical and sexual violence are widespread. 52% of U.S. adults reported experiencing physical violence during their lifetimes, while 49% reported sexual violence during their lifetimes.
• Women face particularly high levels of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. 61% of women and 45% of men reported experiencing intimate partner violence during their lifetimes. Nearly 1 in 5 women—19%—reported potentially lethal IPV, including beating, burning, strangulation or violence involving a knife or gun, compared with 3% of men.
• Violence rises substantially during adolescence and young adulthood. The report found an increase in violence during adolescence that continued into young adulthood, when nearly one-third of adults reported experiencing sexual violence. The researchers identify these stages of life as important opportunities for prevention.
• Economic hardship is strongly associated with violence. Adults who experienced eviction in the previous year were seven times as likely to report recent physical violence, three times as likely to report sexual violence and nearly five times as likely to report intimate partner violence. Among people experiencing homelessness, physical violence was five times as prevalent, sexual violence more than three times as prevalent and intimate partner violence four times as prevalent.
• Violence is closely connected with behavioral health and substance use. People reporting recent violence were significantly more likely to report depression or anxiety, suicidality and substance use.

“The USVEX data give us a clearer picture of the violence landscape across the country, including the disparate ways violence is experienced across communities,” said Jakana Thomas, professor of political science at UC San Diego who co-led the report.

“These findings show that violence prevention cannot occur in isolation. It must be part of a broader strategy that also addresses economic hardship, mental health and other forms of social inequality associated with violence.”

USVEX builds on Violence Experiences Across the Lifespan, a study previously conducted by the Newcomb Institute in California, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, expanding this work into its first nationally representative survey.

Unlike crime statistics or other administrative data that depend on incidents being formally reported, USVEX asks people directly about their experiences of violence. That allows researchers to capture experiences that may never come to the attention of law enforcement or service systems and examine violence alongside social, economic and behavioral health factors.

The findings also show that experiences of violence are not evenly distributed across the population. Women experienced higher levels of sexual violence and intimate partner violence, while LGBTQ+ populations also reported disproportionately high levels of violence. Economic vulnerability was consistently associated with greater exposure to physical, sexual and intimate partner violence.

“Establishing a national baseline is important for tracking violence trends, identifying changing patterns and measuring progress in prevention,” Raj said.

“The value of these data is in what we do with them. By better understanding when violence occurs, who is most at risk and the conditions associated with it, we can better target prevention efforts and resources where they are needed most.”

USVEX surveyed 2,720 adults across all 50 states between October and December 2025 using a nationally representative sample administered by NORC at the University of Chicago. The study was conducted in English and Spanish.

Who’s behind this story?

Swati Mestri

Swati Mestri holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space.

Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master’s in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X’s editorial success.

Full profile →