The National Census of Domestic Violence Services (Census) is designed to protect the safety and confidentiality of victims. Conducted by NNEDV, this annual Census collects an unduplicated count of adults and children seeking services from domestic violence shelter programs in the United States during a single 24-hour survey period. NNEDV's Census 2007 and Census 2006 reports together provide a powerful glimpse into the large demand for domestic violence services, while poignantly underscoring the short supply of resources available to meet victims' needs.
On September 25, 2007, 1,346 out of 1,949, or sixty-nine percent, of identified domestic violence programs in the United States participated in the 2007 National Census of Domestic Violence Services. The results are published in this report.
Highlights:
- In a single day, domestic violence programs served more than 53,000 adults and children in the United States.
- A significant number of requests - more than 7,700 - went unmet because domestic violence agencies lacked the funding and staff to meet the demand. Approximately 61% of unmet requests were for emergency shelter and transitional housing.
In addition to providing a national snapshot, the NCDVS report also includes state-level data.