Ohio's Deadliest Year for Domestic Violence Against Women – 2026 HUD Cuts Threatening Shelter and Safety for Survivors
In the heartland of America, a silent epidemic is raging louder than ever. Ohio's latest domestic violence (DV) statistics paint a grim picture: 2025 has been dubbed the "most lethal year" on record for intimate partner homicides, with women bearing the brunt of this devastating rise. As families across the state grapple with economic pressures and societal strains, the data from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) reveals a 37% spike in fatalities, 157 deaths in total from July 2024 to June 2025, up from 114 the previous year. This isn't just numbers; it's lives shattered, families torn apart, and a urgent call for action. Let's dive into Ohio's crisis, focusing on the women at its center, before zooming out to the national landscape where similar trends are unfolding.
Ohio's Deadly Reality: Women as Primary TargetsOhio's DV fatalities aren't abstract, they disproportionately affect women, who made up 82.4% of the primary victims (61 out of 74) in these tragic cases. These women weren't strangers to danger; more than two-thirds (69%) had prior involvement with the criminal or civil justice systems, often tied to divorce, custody battles, or ignored restraining orders. Custody disputes loomed large in 38% of cases involving minor children, underscoring how family court failings can escalate to lethality.
Firearms amplified the horror: Guns were used in a staggering 84% of all fatalities (144 out of 157), turning arguments into irreversible tragedies. Other methods like stabbing, beatings, and strangulation claimed lives too, but the ease of access to weapons made Ohio's homes deadlier than ever.
The ripple effects on families are heartbreaking. Three of the slain women were pregnant, robbing futures before they began. Children were front-row witnesses to the violence: 36 kids were present during killings, leaving 92 orphaned and 76 without a grandparent. This generational trauma perpetuates cycles of abuse, with experts warning that without intervention, these young survivors face heightened risks of future victimization.
Why the surge? Advocates point to post-pandemic stressors, rising inflation, job instability, and mental health strains, that trap women in abusive dynamics. ODVN's Maria York notes that underfunded shelters and lax enforcement of protective orders exacerbate the problem. In Cleveland alone, local groups reported a 37% statewide increase by October 2025, pushing for lethality assessments. Yet, Ohio's lawmakers have been slow to act, leaving women to navigate a system that too often fails them.A National Epidemic: Domestic Abuse Against Women Across AmericaOhio's crisis is a microcosm of a broader American tragedy. Nationally, domestic violence against women has doubled in homicides since 2019, fueled by similar economic and social pressures. The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that 1 in 4 women (24.3%) aged 18 and older have endured severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 7 men. Over 1 in 3 women (35.6%) have faced rape, physical violence, or stalking by a partner, with young women (ages 18-24 and 25-34) hit hardest.
The lifetime toll is staggering: Nearly 1 in 5 women (18.3%) have been raped, with 9.4% by an intimate partner, and 1 in 6 (16.2%) have been stalked, 10.7% by a partner. From 1994 to 2010, about 4 in 5 intimate partner violence victims were female, a pattern persisting into 2025. Guns again play a deadly role: Women in the U.S. are 11 times more likely to be killed with firearms than in other high-income countries, with over half of female gun violence victims slain by family or partners. A gun in an abusive home skyrockets homicide risk for women by 500%.
Impacts ripple far beyond bruises: 14.8% of women report injuries from partner violence, and survivors are three times more likely to suffer PTSD, depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or substance use disorders. Economically, DV costs women dearly, survivors earn 35% less in some contexts, and it leads to nearly 8 million lost workdays annually, equivalent to 32,000 full-time jobs. At work, 64% of victims say abuse affects their performance, with distractions, fear of discovery, and unexpected partner visits common.
Children suffer too: 30-60% of DV perpetrators abuse kids, and exposed children are 15 times more likely to face assault. Globally, UN Women echoes this: 840 million women have faced partner or sexual violence lifetime, with 316 million in the last year alone, rates the U.S. mirrors in the Americas, where 1 in 4 women endure physical or sexual partner abuse.
Recent trends show no slowdown: 2025 data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates 5.4 million Americans reported DV victimization in the last five years, with women disproportionately affected amid rising economic abuse (up 25% post-pandemic). Digital abuse is surging too, affecting 16-58% of women.Compounding the Crisis: 2026 HUD Cuts Threaten Lifelines for Homeless DV SurvivorsJust as women flee abuse, federal housing support is being slashed under the Trump administration's FY2026 "Skinny" Budget, which proposes deep cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs critical for homelessness prevention. These reductions targeting up to 50% or more in key areas could devastate DV survivors, who often end up homeless when escaping abusers, with limited options for safe, stable housing.
At the forefront: The Continuum of Care (CoC) program, HUD's primary tool for ending homelessness, faces formula changes and funding slashes that could eliminate grants for thousands of beds and services nationwide. In Ohio, where CoC funds support rapid rehousing for DV survivors, these cuts risk closing shelters and transitional housing, forcing women back into danger or onto streets. Nationally, CoC serves over 400,000 people annually, including a disproportionate share of DV victims, yet the proposed reallocations favor "performance metrics" that could sideline high-need cases like abuse survivors.
Worse, the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) program launched post-COVID to house vulnerable groups, including DV escapees, is projected to run dry by mid-2026 without renewal, leaving 20,000+ families (many women-led) without rental assistance. Stories abound: A disabled Ohio mother, finally housed via EHV after fleeing violence, now faces eviction as funds dwindle. Legal challenges, like the National Alliance to End Homelessness v. HUD lawsuit filed in December 2025, argue these moves violate the program's intent, potentially displacing 100,000+ nationwide, with DV survivors at acute risk of revictimization, abusers often track down unhoused ex-partners.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) offers some housing protections, but without HUD backing, enforcement crumbles: Shelters lose funding for legal aid, counseling, and child care, trapping women in cycles of poverty and peril. Economists warn these cuts could spike homelessness by 15–20% in 2026, with women and children comprising 60% of the increase, exacerbating DV's deadly toll.Breaking the Cycle: What Can Be Done?This rise isn't inevitable, it's a policy failure. In Ohio and nationwide, we need stronger laws, funded shelters, and education on healthy relationships—plus urgent pushback on HUD cuts through advocacy and votes. Women deserve safety, not statistics. If you're in danger, call Ohio's DV Hotline at 1-800-934-9840 or the National Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Share this to raise awareness—silence enables abuse.
Sources drawn from ODVN reports, National Domestic Violence Hotline, UN Women, HUD budget documents, and recent studies as of December 13, 2025.
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.- Galileo Now You Know
Firearms amplified the horror: Guns were used in a staggering 84% of all fatalities (144 out of 157), turning arguments into irreversible tragedies. Other methods like stabbing, beatings, and strangulation claimed lives too, but the ease of access to weapons made Ohio's homes deadlier than ever.
The ripple effects on families are heartbreaking. Three of the slain women were pregnant, robbing futures before they began. Children were front-row witnesses to the violence: 36 kids were present during killings, leaving 92 orphaned and 76 without a grandparent. This generational trauma perpetuates cycles of abuse, with experts warning that without intervention, these young survivors face heightened risks of future victimization.
Why the surge? Advocates point to post-pandemic stressors, rising inflation, job instability, and mental health strains, that trap women in abusive dynamics. ODVN's Maria York notes that underfunded shelters and lax enforcement of protective orders exacerbate the problem. In Cleveland alone, local groups reported a 37% statewide increase by October 2025, pushing for lethality assessments. Yet, Ohio's lawmakers have been slow to act, leaving women to navigate a system that too often fails them.A National Epidemic: Domestic Abuse Against Women Across AmericaOhio's crisis is a microcosm of a broader American tragedy. Nationally, domestic violence against women has doubled in homicides since 2019, fueled by similar economic and social pressures. The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that 1 in 4 women (24.3%) aged 18 and older have endured severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 7 men. Over 1 in 3 women (35.6%) have faced rape, physical violence, or stalking by a partner, with young women (ages 18-24 and 25-34) hit hardest.
The lifetime toll is staggering: Nearly 1 in 5 women (18.3%) have been raped, with 9.4% by an intimate partner, and 1 in 6 (16.2%) have been stalked, 10.7% by a partner. From 1994 to 2010, about 4 in 5 intimate partner violence victims were female, a pattern persisting into 2025. Guns again play a deadly role: Women in the U.S. are 11 times more likely to be killed with firearms than in other high-income countries, with over half of female gun violence victims slain by family or partners. A gun in an abusive home skyrockets homicide risk for women by 500%.
Impacts ripple far beyond bruises: 14.8% of women report injuries from partner violence, and survivors are three times more likely to suffer PTSD, depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or substance use disorders. Economically, DV costs women dearly, survivors earn 35% less in some contexts, and it leads to nearly 8 million lost workdays annually, equivalent to 32,000 full-time jobs. At work, 64% of victims say abuse affects their performance, with distractions, fear of discovery, and unexpected partner visits common.
Children suffer too: 30-60% of DV perpetrators abuse kids, and exposed children are 15 times more likely to face assault. Globally, UN Women echoes this: 840 million women have faced partner or sexual violence lifetime, with 316 million in the last year alone, rates the U.S. mirrors in the Americas, where 1 in 4 women endure physical or sexual partner abuse.
Recent trends show no slowdown: 2025 data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates 5.4 million Americans reported DV victimization in the last five years, with women disproportionately affected amid rising economic abuse (up 25% post-pandemic). Digital abuse is surging too, affecting 16-58% of women.Compounding the Crisis: 2026 HUD Cuts Threaten Lifelines for Homeless DV SurvivorsJust as women flee abuse, federal housing support is being slashed under the Trump administration's FY2026 "Skinny" Budget, which proposes deep cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs critical for homelessness prevention. These reductions targeting up to 50% or more in key areas could devastate DV survivors, who often end up homeless when escaping abusers, with limited options for safe, stable housing.
At the forefront: The Continuum of Care (CoC) program, HUD's primary tool for ending homelessness, faces formula changes and funding slashes that could eliminate grants for thousands of beds and services nationwide. In Ohio, where CoC funds support rapid rehousing for DV survivors, these cuts risk closing shelters and transitional housing, forcing women back into danger or onto streets. Nationally, CoC serves over 400,000 people annually, including a disproportionate share of DV victims, yet the proposed reallocations favor "performance metrics" that could sideline high-need cases like abuse survivors.
Worse, the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) program launched post-COVID to house vulnerable groups, including DV escapees, is projected to run dry by mid-2026 without renewal, leaving 20,000+ families (many women-led) without rental assistance. Stories abound: A disabled Ohio mother, finally housed via EHV after fleeing violence, now faces eviction as funds dwindle. Legal challenges, like the National Alliance to End Homelessness v. HUD lawsuit filed in December 2025, argue these moves violate the program's intent, potentially displacing 100,000+ nationwide, with DV survivors at acute risk of revictimization, abusers often track down unhoused ex-partners.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) offers some housing protections, but without HUD backing, enforcement crumbles: Shelters lose funding for legal aid, counseling, and child care, trapping women in cycles of poverty and peril. Economists warn these cuts could spike homelessness by 15–20% in 2026, with women and children comprising 60% of the increase, exacerbating DV's deadly toll.Breaking the Cycle: What Can Be Done?This rise isn't inevitable, it's a policy failure. In Ohio and nationwide, we need stronger laws, funded shelters, and education on healthy relationships—plus urgent pushback on HUD cuts through advocacy and votes. Women deserve safety, not statistics. If you're in danger, call Ohio's DV Hotline at 1-800-934-9840 or the National Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Share this to raise awareness—silence enables abuse.
Sources drawn from ODVN reports, National Domestic Violence Hotline, UN Women, HUD budget documents, and recent studies as of December 13, 2025.
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.- Galileo Now You Know
