Domestic Violence Quiz

Test Your Domestic Violence IQ here with a 10-question quiz assessing your knowledge around domestic violence facts. Test scores will be analyzed so that community awareness and education, a key metric of the campaign, can be studied over time. Please pass it on and challenge your friends, colleagues, neighbors and family members to test their DV IQ.

  1. Domestic violence includes which of the following:

      Answer: All of the above. Domestic violence often begins with emotional abuse and threats and escalates to physical or sexual violence.

    • A. Physical violence
    • B. Sexual violence
    • C. Threats to communicate the intent to cause harm
    • D. Emotional abuse

  2. How many women in the US experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime?

      Answer: C. 1 in 4 women in the US will experience domestic violence at some point in their lifetime.

    • A. 1 in 20
    • B. 1 in 10
    • C. 1 in 4

  3. Victims of domestic violence are responsible for abuse that happens to them.

      Answer: False. Victims of domestic violence are never responsible for the violence regardless of what they say or do. Violent behavior is a deliberate choice. Perpetrators use it to control their victims. Domestic violence is about batterers using their control, not losing their control.

    • True
    • False

  4. If the victim didn't like it, she would leave.

      Answer: Victims do not like the abuse. They stay in the relationship for many reasons, two of the biggest reasons being fear and lack of resources. Leaving is a very dangerous process. Women who attempt to leave an abusive relationship are 70% more likely to be killed than those who stay. It is critical for victims to connect with safety-enhancing resources such as a domestic violence program when attempting to leave.

    • True
    • False

  5. Middle and higher income women do not get battered - it only happens to low income women.

      Answer: False. Domestic violence occurs in all socio-economical levels. Women with money usually have more access to resources and lower income women tend to utilize community agencies more often and are therefore more visible.

    • True
    • False

  6. Batterers are violent in all their relationships.

      Answer: False. Batterers choose to be violent toward their partners in ways they would never consider treating other people.

    • True
    • False

  7. Alcohol and drugs cause battering behavior.

      Answer: False. Although many abusive partners also abuse alcohol and/or drugs, this is not the underlying cause of the battering. Many batterers use alcohol/drugs as an excuse for their violence.

    • True
    • False

  8. How much does domestic violence cost in the United States annually?

      Answer: D. Costs of domestic violence including medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (e.g., time away from work) are estimated at over $8.3 billion.

    • A. $100,000
    • B. $3.1 million
    • C. $1.4 billion
    • D. $8.3 billion

  9. Which of the following are risk factors for becoming a batterer?

      Answer: D. Both a history of violence/aggression and seeing or being a victim of domestic violence as a child can increase the risk that someone will hurt his or her partner. However, it is important to note that having these risk factors does not guarantee that domestic violence will occur - it is possible to break the cycle of abuse.

    • A. Being violent or aggressive in the past
    • B. Seeing or being a victim of violence as a child
    • C. Neither of the above.
    • D. Both of the above.

  10. Can domestic violence be prevented?

      Answer: Yes. The goal is to stop domestic violence before it begins. Strategies that promote healthy behaviors in relationships are important. Programs that teach young people skills for dating can prevent violence. These programs can stop violence in dating relationships before it occurs.

    • Yes
    • No