Divorce and Abuse in the U.S.: Key Statistics and Trends

National Statistics on Abuse-Related Divorce

Recent research and surveys consistently show that a significant share of U.S. divorces involve domestic abuse (physical, emotional, or psychological) as a contributing factor. Key findings include:

• Approximately 1 in 4 divorces cite abuse: In a national survey of divorced individuals, about 23–25% reported that domestic violence or abuse was a significant reason for their divorce ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ) (Divorce Statistics and Facts | What Affects Divorce Rates in the U.S.?). In these cases, respondents often described both physical and emotional abuse by their spouse leading up to the divorce (The Most Common Reasons for Divorce, Ranked – Business Insider). (Multiple causes could be reported, so percentages can total over 100%.)
• Abuse is a leading but not topmost cause: Lack of commitment, infidelity, and constant conflict rank higher overall, but abuse still emerged as one of the top 5–7 causes cited in divorces nationally (Does Domestic Violence Cause Divorce? – Teen Dating Violence Awareness) (Does Domestic Violence Cause Divorce? – Teen Dating Violence Awareness). For example, one study found domestic violence was the seventh most common issue cited, after factors like infidelity and arguing (Does Domestic Violence Cause Divorce? – Teen Dating Violence Awareness). However, when looking at the “final straw” that triggered the divorce filing, domestic violence was the second most frequently named tipping point (21% of respondents said a violent incident was the final straw) ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ).
• Range of estimates: The exact percentage varies by study methodology. An in-depth 2013 academic study (tracking couples over 14 years) found that 23.5% of participants identified domestic violence as a major contributor to their divorce ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ). An earlier poll in 2011 reported even higher numbers: about 36% of Americans (and 48% of women) who divorced said domestic abuse – including physical or verbal abuse – was the primary reason they ended their marriage (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC). Despite differing figures, these studies all indicate that abusive treatment is a factor in a substantial minority of divorces across the country.

(Note: National divorce statistics by “cause” are based on surveys and research studies. Most U.S. states have no-fault divorce laws and do not require an official reason to be recorded, so we rely on studies asking divorced individuals why their marriages ended.)* (Does Domestic Violence Cause Divorce? – Teen Dating Violence Awareness) ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC )

 

State-by-State and Regional Trends

Detailed state-by-state data on divorce causes are limited because many divorces are filed under general “irreconcilable differences.” However, available evidence suggests some regional patterns and noteworthy state data:

• Legal grounds vs. no-fault: In states where fault-based grounds are recorded, we see evidence of abuse being cited. For instance, Mississippi changed its law in 2017 to make domestic abuse easier to cite in a fault divorce. In the following year, 608 out of 12,918 divorce complaints (about 5%) in Mississippi explicitly cited domestic abuse as the ground for divorce (One year later, new divorce law helps more than 600 abuse survivors find a way out – Mississippi Today) (One year later, new divorce law helps more than 600 abuse survivors find a way out – Mississippi Today). This represented a significant share of that state’s contested (fault-based) divorces. Other states that still allow fault grounds (like “cruelty” or “inhumane treatment”) likely have a portion of cases filed due to abuse, though comprehensive statistics are not published regularly.
• Domestic violence prevalence by state: Rates of domestic violence (regardless of divorce) vary widely by state, which in turn influences divorce trends. Generally, states in the South and West report higher lifetime domestic abuse prevalence. Oklahoma has the highest rate in the nation – about 49.1% of women and 40.7% of men there have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime (In Which State Is Domestic Violence Most Common?) (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation). Other states with elevated abuse rates include Kentucky (~45% of women) and Nevada, Alaska, and Arizona (around 42–44% of women) (In Which State Is Domestic Violence Most Common?) (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation). By contrast, some states in the Northeast/Midwest report lower (though still significant) rates – for example, South Dakota (~28% of women) and North Dakota (~30%) have the lowest female victimization rates (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation). These patterns suggest that in regions with more widespread domestic violence, a higher fraction of divorces may involve abuse. Indeed, states with historically high divorce rates (e.g., Arkansas, Oklahoma) also tend to have high domestic violence rates, indicating a potential regional correlation.
• Regional insights: Because formal “reasons for divorce” data by state are scarce, researchers sometimes use proxies. One approach is looking at the proportion of “serious” divorce reasons (like abuse, infidelity, addiction) across different demographics. Nationally, about 42–50% of divorces involve at least one of the grave issues such as adultery, domestic violence, or chronic emotional abuse (What is a Life-Saving Divorce? | Life-Saving Divorce) (What is a Life-Saving Divorce? | Life-Saving Divorce). There is anecdotal evidence that in more conservative regions or where no-fault divorce has been restricted, some victims remained in marriages longer, potentially underreporting abuse-related divorces (3 Kinds of Divorce Statistics You Can Learn From) (What is a Life-Saving Divorce? | Life-Saving Divorce). Overall, no region is immune – even states with lower overall domestic violence incidence still see substantial numbers of divorces due to abuse each year. The difference is mainly in scale: in some Southern and Western states, abuse might be a cited factor in a larger percentage of breakups, whereas in other states, it may be slightly less common.

(Note: The variability by state is influenced by both cultural factors (prevalence of domestic violence, attitudes toward divorce) and legal factors (ease of obtaining divorce for abuse). Because most states don’t track the “cause of divorce” in statistics, regional insights are drawn from surveys, academic research, and specific state reports.)*

Breakdown by Type of Abuse Cited in Divorces

“Abuse” in the context of divorce can encompass physical violence, emotional/psychological abuse, and sometimes sexual or financial abuse. These often overlap, but divorce research and laws typically group them under domestic violence or cruelty. Here’s what we know about the types of abuse leading to divorce:

• Physical abuse: This includes any form of violence or threats of harm by one spouse (e.g., hitting, choking, shoving). Physical domestic violence is a common element in many abuse-related divorces. In qualitative interviews, divorcees frequently described episodes of escalating physical assaults as a key reason for leaving – for example, incidents of shoving or physical intimidation that grew more severe over time ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ) ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ). Many U.S. states explicitly recognize physical cruelty or violence as grounds for divorce (even if no-fault divorce is also available). In one survey, 23% of divorced individuals said violence and abuse (often coupled with other issues) made the marriage untenable (The Most Common Reasons for Divorce, Ranked – Business Insider). It’s important to note that physical abuse seldom occurs in isolation; it is usually accompanied by emotional abuse and controlling behavior ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ) (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC).
• Emotional/Psychological abuse: Non-physical abuse can be equally damaging and is another major factor in divorces. Emotional or psychological abuse refers to patterns of verbal attacks, manipulation, intimidation, humiliation, or controlling behavior that erode a spouse’s mental well-being. Many victims cite this kind of abuse – often called “mental cruelty” in legal terms – as a primary reason for divorce, even when physical violence is absent. In the 2011 Divorce360/GfK Roper survey, “domestic abuse” included verbal/emotional abuse, and nearly one-third of respondents (including almost half of women) attributed their divorce to such abuse (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC). Family therapists note that emotional abuse often goes hand-in-hand with physical violence, but it can also be the sole form of abuse in a marriage. Chronic emotional abuse alone was listed among the top “serious” reasons for divorce in about 1 out of 6 cases in one study (grouped with other severe issues) (What is a Life-Saving Divorce? | Life-Saving Divorce) (What is a Life-Saving Divorce? | Life-Saving Divorce). Examples include relentless belittling, isolation, extreme controlling behavior, and threats — spouses in these situations often eventually seek divorce for self-preservation.
• Other forms of abuse: Some divorces involve specific abuse dynamics like sexual abuse or financial abuse. These are less commonly tallied separately but fall under the umbrella of domestic violence. Sexual abuse (any non-consensual sexual contact or coercion by a spouse) is cited in some divorce cases, sometimes alongside physical battering (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC). Financial abuse – where one partner heavily controls or withholds money to exert power – can contribute to the decision to divorce as well, though it might not appear as a named legal ground. While statistics by subtype are scarce, domestic violence advocates stress that abuse in any form (physical, emotional, sexual, etc.) creates a toxic and unsafe marriage. In practice, if a spouse is enduring financial control, intimidation, or sexual coercion, those behaviors usually coexist with emotional degradation or physical threats, forming a pattern of domestic abuse that leads to divorce (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC).

In summary, roughly 20–25% of U.S. divorces in recent years have had domestic abuse as a core issue, according to multiple sources ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ) (The Most Common Reasons for Divorce, Ranked – Business Insider). This range includes cases of physical violence, as well as severe emotional or psychological abuse (often a combination of both). While national data is clear that abuse is a factor in about a quarter of divorces, obtaining precise percentages by state is challenging. No-fault divorce laws mean most states don’t record the reason for each split. Still, regional surveys and related data on domestic violence suggest that abuse-related divorce is a nationwide concern. States like Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Alaska – which have some of the highest domestic violence rates – likely see a higher proportion of divorces due to abuse. In contrast, states with lower DV incidence see slightly fewer (but still significant) cases (In Which State Is Domestic Violence Most Common?) (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation). Ultimately, whether the timeframe is the past five years or the past decade, the narrative is consistent: domestic abuse (physical or mental) remains one of the leading causes of divorce in the U.S., second only to issues like infidelity and lack of commitment (Does Domestic Violence Cause Divorce? – Teen Dating Violence Awareness) ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ).

Sources: Government and academic studies on divorce reasons; national surveys of divorced couples; state court reports; and data from domestic violence coalitions. For example, the National Center for Health Statistics and CDC provide overall divorce rates. At the same time, research by the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence highlights how frequently abuse victims seek divorce (Abuse is the most common reason for divorce, survey reports | Hill Macdonald, LLC) (Divorce Statistics 2025: Everything You Need To Know). Academic studies (e.g., by Scott et al., cited in Journal of Family Psychology) give detailed breakdowns of divorce causes, showing the share attributable to physical and emotional abuse ( Reasons for Divorce and Recollections of Premarital Intervention: Implications for Improving Relationship Education – PMC ). State-specific insights (Mississippi courts, etc.) and regional DV prevalence data (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation) (Domestic Violence Statistics: A Comprehensive Investigation) help complete the picture of how abuse and divorce intersect across the country.

This data is based on a synthesis of multiple studies and surveys rather than a single report. Here’s a list of the types of sources that were incorporated into that synthesis:

1. National Surveys on Divorce and Domestic Violence:
   • Surveys such as the Divorce360/GfK Roper survey have historically collected data on why individuals cite abuse or domestic violence as a reason for divorce.
   • Additional surveys and polls that assess the “final straw” or primary reasons for divorce often include questions about domestic abuse.
2. Academic Studies:
   • Research published in academic journals like the Journal of Family Psychology (for example, studies by researchers such as Scott and colleagues) has examined the long-term effects of domestic violence on marital dissolution and the prevalence of abuse-related divorces.
   • Longitudinal studies tracking couples over multiple years have provided estimates of the percentage of divorces influenced by domestic violence or abuse.
3. Government and Public Health Data:
   • Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics offer broader data on domestic violence prevalence, which is used as a proxy when discussing its impact on divorce.
   • Some state-level reports or court data (e.g., data from states like Mississippi that record fault-based divorce reasons) give insight into how often abuse is explicitly cited as the cause.
4. Domestic Violence and Advocacy Organizations:
   • Organizations such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence provide statistics and research findings regarding domestic violence and its broader societal impact, including its role in divorce.
5. State-Specific Data:
   • In a few cases, states that maintain records on fault-based divorces or have made legislative changes to better document abuse as a cause for divorce (e.g., Mississippi) have published data that helps break down regional trends.

Because much of the data comes from aggregated reports and survey results—and because many divorce filings are processed under no-fault laws without an official “cause” recorded—the exact percentages can vary between sources and methodologies.

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https://zontausa.org/us-domestic-violence-statistics-by-state/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10087196/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/domestic-violence-by-state