The Violence Policy Center’s annual report, When Men Murder Women, shows that Alaska has consistently had the highest rate of female homicide victims killed by male offenders in the U.S. over the past seven years. Data from 2011 to 2020 reveals that the rate in Alaska has been significantly higher than the national average every year. While the national rate has remained relatively steady around 1.1 to 1.3 deaths per 100,000 females, Alaska’s rates have fluctuated but generally increased, peaking sharply at 5.14 per 100,000 in 2019 before slightly dropping to 3.43 in 2020.
The overall trend in Alaska is an increase in female homicide victimization by male offenders, highlighting a critical and ongoing issue within the state.
According to the Alaska Department of Public Safety's Uniform Crime Report, the number of homicides committed by a family member or intimate partner in Alaska has generally increased since 2009. The data shows an initial rise from 5 cases in 2009 to a peak of 24 cases in 2019. Although there was a slight decline after 2019, with 15 cases reported in 2021, the overall trend remains upward compared to the beginning of the period.
The report notes that while these cases involve intimate or family relationships, the available data is not detailed enough to always classify them specifically as domestic violence incidents.
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), about 1 in 5 adults in Alaska have reported experiencing physical abuse from an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. Survey data collected approximately every three years from 2004 to 2020 shows relatively stable rates, ranging from 22.4% to 25.4%, with a noticeable drop to 20.1% in 2020.
The Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) collected data in 2010, 2015, and 2020 from randomly selected adult women in Alaska to understand their experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual violence, and stalking. The survey was conducted via phone and aimed to ensure the safety and confidentiality of all participants.
The findings indicate that in 2010, nearly half of the women in Alaska, specifically 47.60%, reported having experienced IPV in their lifetime. This figure saw a decrease in 2015, falling to 40.40%. However, the percentage then increased again in 2020, reaching 48.00%.
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