FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2025
Contact:
Pamela Jacobs, CEO
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)
communications@nrcdv.org | www.nrcdv.org
NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments Minimizing Domestic Violence
The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) strongly disagrees with recent comments made by President Trump suggesting that “a little fight with the wife” should not be treated as a crime.
“Domestic violence is not a ‘little fight.’ It is a crime in every state,” said Pamela Jacobs, CEO of NRCDV. “Language that downplays abuse puts lives at risk. Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men in their lifetimes. It’s the leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum women. When leaders minimize violence in the home, it sends a message that survivors don’t matter and that those who use violence won’t be held accountable. That message is incredibly dangerous.”
Domestic violence is a pattern of power and control that devastates individuals, families, and communities. Every day in the United States, an average of three women and one man are killed by a current or former intimate partner — a devastating reminder that domestic violence is not a private matter, but a deadly crime.
In addition to the human toll, domestic violence costs the United States an estimated $3.6 trillion each year — including healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and the lifelong impact on children and families. The epidemic of domestic violence impacts all of us — Republicans and Democrats, men and women, adults and children. Dismissing it as minor conflict undermines decades of progress in improving safety and justice for survivors.
“As someone who, as a child, witnessed repeated acts of violence perpetrated against my mother over a number of years, even after fleeing, I’m deeply appalled by this dangerous comment,” shared Shenna Morris, NRCDV Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships. “Statements like this send a message to children and youth survivors that the harm their parent experienced was deserved. It says that this type of behavior is normal and acceptable in our society. As leaders, it is essential that we are working to intervene and prevent violence, addressing the root causes, not minimizing the very real harm that it can cause.”
“At NRCDV, we work every day with advocates, survivors, and communities who know the truth: domestic violence is real, it is harmful, and it is a crime,” Jacobs continued. “Survivors are listening—and so are those who cause harm. We owe it to survivors to stand firmly with them, to hold abusers accountable, and to send a clear message that violence in the home will never be tolerated. Anything less endangers lives and betrays our collective responsibility for safety and justice.”
If you or someone you know is being abused, help is available 24/7 from the National Hotline on Domestic Violence. Call 800-799-SAFE (7233), text “START” to 88788, or visit thehotline.org.
For more information about NRCDV’s work to prevent and end domestic violence, please visit www.nrcdv.org.
