ISAC Releases New Research Briefs on Sexual, Intimate Partner Violence

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is pleased to announce the release of this year’s issues of its research briefs on sexual violence and intimate partner violence in Idaho. Sexual Violence in Idaho, 2023 and Intimate Partner Violence in Idaho, 2023 present analysis of data from the Idaho Incident-Based Reporting System (IIBRS) and performance data from victim service agencies that receive grant funding to provide direct victim services to their communities.

Some key findings from the research briefs:

• The number of sexual assault victims known to law enforcement rose 2% between 2016 and 2023, while the number of sexual assault victims who received grant-funded victim services also rose by 2%. However, in 2023, the number of victims who received grant-funded services (7,163) was nearly four times higher than the number known to law enforcement (1,841).
• The number of intimate partner violence (IPV) victims known to law enforcement declined 7% between 2016 and 2023, while the number of sexual assault victims who received grant-funded victim services rose by 38%. In 2023, the number of victims who received grant-funded services (22,724) was more than four times higher than the number known to law enforcement (5,585).
• The number of victims receiving grant funded services has declined each of the last two years, mirroring a decline in the amount of available funding for these services. Between 2017 and 2021, funding awarded by state administering agencies to victim service agencies increased 87%, but then fell 13% in 2022 and another 6% in 2023. Similarly, the number of IPV victims served by these programs increased 87% between 2017 and 2021, then fell 1% in 2022 and 24% in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of sexual violence victims served rose 12% between 2017 and 2021, before falling 15% in 2022 and another 17% in 2023.
• In their 2023 annual reports, victim service agencies that receive grant funds reported that their most urgent needs include additional resources to expand services, especially to rural areas; more and better training for all parts of the justice system on how to better serve victims of sexual and intimate partner violence, including more awareness of the services available among first responders and the community as a whole; and more sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) to ensure that all Idahoans have access to forensic medical exams when needed.

The full research briefs are available in the ISAC Publication Library. Additionally, readers can explore more data on these topics using ISAC’s Crime in Idaho Data Dashboard and Idaho Crime Victim Services Dashboard.

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is located within the Pass-Through Grants & Research Department of the Idaho State Police. The mission of ISAC is to disseminate research, data and statistics related to crime, illegal drugs, victim services, and the administration of justice in Idaho. To learn more about ISAC, or to access other data dashboards and publications, visit our website at https://isp.idaho.gov/pgr/isac/.

Posted in Research Publications (PGR)