As highlighted in a recent Newcomb Institute report, violence remains at epidemic proportions in the U.S. and Louisiana. This includes gender-based violence, community violence and policing, and gun violence.
The focus of this report is on intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by women – and the costs of this violence. By contributing to the evidence needed to inform policy debates in Louisiana, the aim is to build support across the political spectrum to address violence against women.
Women’s freedom from violence is, first and foremost, a fundamental human right. This is recognized internationally and in U.S. national and Louisiana state legislation.
At the same time, it is now well accepted that empowering women is not only the “right thing” to honor the world’s commitments to human rights but also the “smart thing” to do for economic expansion and development.
As documented in the 2019 Justice for Women report, the case for investing in violence prevention and response arises from avoiding the significant costs associated with such violence. While only a few studies have precisely quantified the costs per IPV survivor, it is widely accepted that survivors of violence encounter health costs and often suffer lost productivity and experience financial hardship. There are also intergenerational repercussions for children who witness violence. All these costs add up to negative consequences for economic growth.
This report draws on unique new data, combined with the best available methods and estimates from the U.S. and worldwide, to generate the first-ever quantification of the costs of IPV in Louisiana. The Louisiana Violence Experiences Survey (LaVEX) is the only survey providing these recent data at the state level by drawing on past-year experiences of intimate partner violence among Louisiana women in mid-2023.
FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT
The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in Louisiana
View 2023 Report: The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in Louisiana
- Supported By: Newcomb Institute
- Project Contact: Anita Raj (Care of Laura Kreller) lkreller@tulane.edu
- Media Contact: Newcomb Communications newcomb@tulane.edu
Citation
Klugman J, Li L, Raj A. The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in Louisiana. Newcomb Institute at Tulane University. April 2024. https://newcomb.tulane.edu/content/costs-ipv-louisiana.
Principal Investigator
Anita Raj, PhD, MS she/her/hers
Executive Director, Newcomb Institute of Tulane University
Nancy Reeves Dreux Endowed Chair
Professor, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
araj@tulane.edu
This work includes sensitive information on mental health and violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault. If you need support for any of these concerns, please contact:
Louisiana Mental Health, Suicide, and Crisis 24-hour Hotline: 988
Louisiana Statewide 24-hour Hotline for Domestic Violence Survivors: 1.888.411.1333
Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault crisis phone line at 888.372.8995 (24/7) English/Spanish. Text at 225.351.7233 or Chat online here.
