FBI Data Shows Domestic Relationships Play Growing Role in U.S. Violent Crime

Domestic relationships now account for more than a quarter of all reported violent crimes in the United States, according to a newly released FBI special report that shows a gradual but consistent increase in such incidents over the past five years.

The report, “Domestic Relationships and Violent Crimes, 2020–2024,” reveals that the percentage of violent crimes involving domestic relationships rose from 25.6% in 2020 to 27.5% in 2024, with only a brief plateau at 27.0% during 2022 and 2023.

While the increase appears modest on paper, it represents thousands of additional cases annually where violence occurs between intimate partners, spouses, former partners, or family members. The trend has raised concerns among law enforcement officials and victim advocacy groups alike.

“This consistent upward trajectory, even if incremental, suggests we need to strengthen intervention and prevention efforts,” said Dr. Amanda Reynolds, a criminologist specializing in intimate partner violence at Georgetown University. “These aren’t just statistics – they represent real harm happening in households across America.”

Among the various categories of violent crime, aggravated assault emerged as the most common offense within domestic relationships, accounting for 31.0% of reported cases. This figure stands in stark contrast to robbery, which had just 6.5% of cases involving domestic connections.

The gender disparity in victimization remains pronounced, with women constituting 74.5% of all victims in domestic-relationship violent crimes. This aligns with global patterns documented by the World Health Organization, which estimates that nearly one-third of women worldwide – approximately 840 million – have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence during their lifetimes.

“The persistent gender gap in domestic violence victimization reflects deeper social and economic power imbalances,” explained Sonya Martinez, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “While men can absolutely be victims, and deserve equal support and protection, the data consistently shows women face disproportionate risk.”

Perhaps most alarming are the homicide statistics. The FBI report documented 11,466 domestic-related murder victims between 2020 and 2024. During that same period, there were over 1.1 million victims of other domestic-relationship violent crimes – underscoring that domestic violence represents a substantial portion of the nation’s overall violent crime problem.

Law enforcement agencies across the country have responded to these trends by implementing specialized domestic violence units and enhancing training for officers responding to such calls. Many departments now employ risk assessment protocols to identify potentially lethal situations before they escalate to homicide.

“The relationship between victim and offender fundamentally changes how we approach these cases,” explained Captain James Wilson of the Denver Police Department’s Special Victims Unit. “These aren’t random crimes – they involve complex emotional dynamics, economic dependencies, and often children. Our response has to account for those factors.”

Victim advocacy groups point to the COVID-19 pandemic as one potential factor in the rising numbers, noting that lockdowns, economic stress, and reduced access to support services created perfect storm conditions for domestic violence to intensify. However, the continued increase post-pandemic suggests other factors may also be at play.

The FBI report relies on data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which provides more detailed information about crime incidents than previous reporting systems. While NIBRS offers greater insight into the relationships between victims and offenders, experts caution that domestic violence remains significantly underreported nationwide.

As communities grapple with these findings, the data underscores the critical importance of continued investment in prevention programs, crisis intervention services, and long-term support for survivors of domestic violence.