Every day in the United States, nearly four women are killed by an intimate partner. The scale of the crisis extends well beyond homicide: millions of spouses and dating partners experience physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, threats, and coercive control each year.
A study by The Law Offices of Tad Nelson examined intimate partner homicide, domestic violence prevalence, murder-suicide incidents, firearm involvement, and other factors associated with fatal violence between spouses. The findings reveal that the states with the greatest number of deadly incidents are not necessarily the same states with the highest lifetime rates of domestic abuse.
Texas, for example, recorded more murder-suicide incidents than any other state during the first half of 2025. However, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, and Arizona stood out when researchers examined the prevalence of intimate partner violence among residents.
The distinction matters. Total incident counts can identify where the largest number of families are affected, while prevalence rates show where residents face the greatest relative exposure to abuse.
Women Account for Most Intimate Partner Homicide Victims
In 2023, more than 2,400 women were killed by men in the United States. In nine out of every 10 cases, the victim knew the person who killed her. Wives and other intimate acquaintances represented 57.1% of the victims.
Women accounted for 77.9% of intimate partner homicide victims, illustrating the deeply gendered nature of fatal domestic violence.
The broader domestic violence data follow a similar pattern. From 2020 through 2024, women represented approximately 75% of victims in violent offenses involving a domestic relationship. Men, meanwhile, represented approximately 77% of offenders.
| Domestic relationship category, 2020–2024 | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Offenders | 844,558, or 77% | 249,341, or 23% |
| Victims | 284,118, or 25% | 835,506, or 75% |
The racial background of the victim was established in 2,331 of the more than 2,400 cases involving women killed by men in 2023:
- 1,474 victims were White
- 733 were Black
- 79 were Asian or Pacific Islander
- 45 were American Indian or Alaska Native
Arguments were among the most common circumstances preceding fatal attacks. However, one of the most dangerous periods may begin when a victim tries to end the relationship. Research cited in the study identified separation or an attempted separation as a frequent trigger for intimate partner homicide.
A major national analysis found that 44% of women murdered by intimate partners had already left or were attempting to leave their relationships.
Firearms Are Involved in a Growing Share of Fatal Attacks
Firearms have become increasingly prevalent in intimate partner homicides involving female victims.
In 2011, firearms were used in approximately 51% of cases in which a woman was killed by a man. By 2023, that percentage had climbed to 64.9%.
The risk extends to millions of women who survive threats and assaults. Approximately 4.5 million women living in the United States have been threatened with a firearm by an intimate partner, according to research included in the Law Offices of Tad Nelson study.
Firearm access can transform an abusive encounter into a fatal event within seconds. It can also increase the risks faced by children, relatives, law enforcement officers, and other people present when violence occurs.
The States With the Highest Domestic Violence Rates
More than half of murdered women in the United States are killed following intimate partner violence. The lifetime prevalence of abuse is particularly high in several states.
States highlighted for elevated domestic violence prevalence
| State | Women experiencing IPV, sexual violence or stalking | Men experiencing IPV, sexual violence or stalking |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 49.1% | 40.7% |
| Kentucky | 45.3% | 35.5% |
| Missouri | 41.8% | 35.2% |
| Nevada | 48.1% | 30.9% |
| Arizona | 42.6% | 33.4% |
Oklahoma recorded the country’s highest domestic violence rate in the comparison, with 49.1% of women and 40.7% of men experiencing intimate partner violence, rape, or stalking during their lifetimes. The state also ranked third nationally for women killed by men in single-victim homicides.
Kentucky followed, with 45.3% of women and 35.5% of men reporting victimization. On a single day in 2019, domestic violence programs in the state served 1,420 survivors. Another 128 requests could not be met because programs lacked sufficient resources.
Missouri reported lifetime victimization rates of 41.8% among women and 35.2% among men. The state recorded more than 45,000 domestic violence incidents in 2018, representing a 10% increase compared with 2014.
In Nevada, approximately 48.1% of women and 30.9% of men experienced intimate partner violence during their lifetimes. Domestic violence service providers received more than 65,000 contacts in 2014 alone.
Arizona reported lifetime victimization rates of 42.6% among women and 33.4% among men. Nearly 304,000 Arizona women had experienced intimate partner stalking, while the state recorded 96 domestic violence-related deaths in 2019.
Texas Led the Nation in Murder-Suicide Incidents
Domestic violence prevalence tells only part of the story. Murder-suicide data provide another measure of the danger faced by spouses and family members.
During the first six months of 2025, the United States recorded 237 murder-suicide incidents involving 526 victims.
Texas reported the largest number by a considerable margin.
Top 10 states for murder-suicide incidents, first half of 2025
| Rank | State | Incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 29 |
| 2 | Georgia | 17 |
| 3 | Florida | 16 |
| 4 | Ohio | 15 |
| 5 | California | 10 |
| 5 | New York | 10 |
| 7 | Arizona | 9 |
| 7 | Missouri | 9 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 8 |
| 10 | Michigan | 7 |
Texas recorded 29 incidents, 12 more than Georgia and 13 more than Florida. The state alone accounted for more than 12% of all murder-suicide incidents documented during the period.
At the other end of the ranking, eight jurisdictions recorded no incidents:
- Alaska
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Maine
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Utah
Delaware, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming each recorded one.
These figures should not be interpreted as proof that spouses in states with zero documented incidents face no domestic violence risk. The data cover only a six-month period and focus specifically on murder-suicide events rather than all domestic homicides, assaults, threats, and stalking cases.
More Than 90% of Murder-Suicide Offenders Are Men
Murder-suicides involving intimate partners often follow a recognizable pattern: a man kills a current or former female partner and then dies by suicide. In many incidents, children or other family members are also killed.
The study identified several defining characteristics:
- Men committed more than 90% of murder-suicides
- More than two-thirds followed a history of intimate partner violence
- Children were killed in 16% of incidents
- The perpetrator was known to authorities or had a documented history of abuse in approximately 80% of cases
- The home was the location of 80% of all murder-suicides
- The home accounted for 85% of intimate partner-related incidents
Most events involved one homicide victim, but a notable share caused multiple deaths.
| Number of homicide victims | Share of murder-suicide incidents |
|---|---|
| One victim | 84% |
| Two victims | 10% |
| Three or more victims | 6% |
Adults aged 55 and older accounted for approximately 25% of murder-suicide offenders. Although older adults commit a relatively small share of homicides overall, they are disproportionately represented in cases that end in suicide.
The United States also records substantially more familicide incidents than several comparable countries. According to the study, the country experiences approximately three times as many cases per year as Canada, eight times as many as Britain, and 15 times as many as Australia.
More Than 1.1 Million Domestic Violence Victims Were Recorded
Intimate partner violence accounts for roughly 15% of all violent crime. More than one in three women and one in four men have experienced physical violence, rape, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetimes.
From 2020 through 2024:
- More than 1.1 million people were victims of violent offenses involving a domestic relationship
- Nearly 700,000 victims sustained an injury
- Authorities recorded 11,466 intimate partner homicide victims
- Approximately 31% of aggravated assaults were classified as domestic
- Hands, fists, and feet were the most commonly reported weapons in domestic and non-domestic violent crimes
The physical injuries ranged from apparent minor injuries to broken bones, internal injuries, unconsciousness, severe lacerations, and lost teeth.
| Reported injury | Victims, 2020–2024 |
|---|---|
| Apparent minor injury | 453,375 |
| Other major injury | 94,296 |
| Possible internal injury | 78,552 |
| Severe laceration | 57,923 |
| Unconsciousness | 38,733 |
| Apparent broken bones | 25,956 |
| Loss of teeth | 6,275 |
The consequences frequently continue after the immediate physical injuries heal. Intimate partner violence has been linked to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, insomnia, substance misuse, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, miscarriage, preterm birth, and suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Healthcare costs associated with domestic violence exceed $4 billion annually.
Separation and Custody Disputes Can Mark a High-Risk Period
Divorce, separation, and child custody disputes often coincide with increased danger, particularly when a relationship already includes coercive control, stalking, threats, or physical abuse.
Research reviewed in the study found that nearly half of family mass homicides involving multiple victims had also involved appearances in family court.
The emergence of the “alpine divorce” trend has brought additional attention to coercive conduct in isolated outdoor locations. By March 2026, online content referencing the term had generated more than 25 million TikTok views.
The phrase has been used to describe cases in which one partner abandons or endangers another in a remote setting, such as a hiking or climbing route. Although the phrase originated in fiction, recent criminal cases involving partners left in hazardous mountain environments helped drive public interest.
The trend has also emphasized the evidentiary role of:
- Text messages
- Social media activity
- Location records
- Photographs and videos
- Prior reports of threats or intimidation
- Documentation of controlling behavior
These records may become important in criminal proceedings, protection-order cases, divorce litigation, or child custody disputes.
The Data Point to Warning Signs That Often Appear Before a Death
Fatal domestic violence is rarely an isolated event without a history. The findings assembled by the Law Offices of Tad Nelson indicate that warning signs are frequently present before a murder-suicide or intimate partner homicide occurs.
Prior violence, firearm threats, stalking, separation, coercive control, bond violations, and contact with law enforcement or courts may all signal escalating risk. Yet only 47% of female intimate partner homicide victims fully recognized the level of danger posed by their abusers.
Extreme risk protection orders, commonly known as red flag laws, have been adopted by 22 states and the District of Columbia. These laws allow courts to temporarily restrict firearm access when an individual is considered a danger to themselves or others.
No single policy can eliminate intimate partner violence. However, the data show that earlier intervention, stronger enforcement, adequate shelter capacity, firearm restrictions for high-risk offenders, and better recognition of escalating behavior could help prevent assaults from becoming homicides.
For spouses living with threats or abuse, the greatest danger may emerge not only during the relationship, but also when they attempt to leave it.
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