More than half of Americans have been victims of violence, study finds

17 Sep 2026, 01:40 · Medical Xpress

by Dennis Thompson

edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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The number of Americans who have personally been victims of physical or sexual violence is much higher than one might think, a new report says. More than half of U.S. adults have experienced physical violence in their lifetimes, and nearly half have experienced sexual violence, researchers found.

The findings were published in the U.S. National Study on Violence Experiences Across the Lifespan (USVEX).

Further, violence is closely tied to youth, economic hardship and substance use, the study showed.

"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 co-lead researcher Jakana Thomas, a professor of political science at the University of California San Diego.

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

For the new study, researchers surveyed 2,720 Americans in all 50 states age 18 and older between October and December 2025.

Results showed that 52% of U.S. adults have experienced physical violence at some point in their lives, and 49% have experienced sexual violence.

Intimate partner violence alone has affected 6 out of 10 women (61%) and nearly half of men (45%), according to the study.

Nearly 1 in 5 women (19%) reported potentially lethal intimate partner violence—including beating, burning, strangulation or violence involving a knife or gun—compared to just 3% of men, researchers said.

Financial struggles were closely tied to violence, the study found.

For example, people who experienced eviction were:

Seven times as likely to report recent physical violence
Three times more likely to have experienced sexual violence
Nearly five times as likely to report intimate partner violence

Homelessness was associated with five times the odds of physical violence, more than three times the likelihood of sexual violence, and four times the odds of intimate partner violence.

People reporting recent violence were significantly more likely to be suffering from depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and substance use, researchers said.

Young people also appeared to be at greater risk for violence, starting during their teen years and continuing into young adulthood. Nearly a third of young adults reported experiencing sexual violence, the study found.

Researchers argue that because this survey asks people directly about their personal history, it provides a more accurate assessment of U.S. violence than studies based on crime reports and statistics. That's because many violent incidents are never formally reported.

"For too long, our understanding of violence has depended largely on crime reports, leaving many experiences invisible," said co-lead author Anita Raj, executive director of the Newcomb Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans.

"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," Raj said in a news release. "Understanding those connections is critical to developing more effective approaches to prevention."

Key medical concepts

physical violenceSexual ViolencesIntimate Partner Violence

Clinical categories

Psychology & Mental healthPsychiatryPreventive medicineCommon illnesses & Prevention Who's behind this story?

Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. 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 →

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