What the Numbers Tell Us: Domestic Violence Against Women in Nashville

As someone deeply committed to change, we’ve spent a lot of time examining the data behind domestic violence in our community. What the numbers reveal is both disturbing and urgent.

In Tennessee’s 2023 domestic violence report, law enforcement documented 60,479 victims statewide. Of those whose sex was recorded, 71.3% were female, which underscores that women bear a disproportionate burden of intimate-partner violence. ofs.nashville.gov

Turning to Nashville (Davidson County) specifically, the Metro Police Department publishes a domestic violence victim demographics dashboard that confirms a similar pattern: the majority of victims are women, spanning across all age groups, from teenagers to older adults. (The dashboard also breaks down age, relationship to the offender, and other risk factors.) ofs.nashville.gov

One of the starkest reminders that abuse can escalate is in the count of domestic violence homicides. In recent years, Nashville’s Domestic Abuse Death Review Team has documented double-digit fatalities (for instance, 11 in 2021). These aren’t just statistics — each one represents a life lost, a family shattered, and a community grieving. ofs.nashville.gov

Here’s what I take away when I look at these figures:

• Abuse is rarely a one-time event. Many women experience repeated aggression or coercion over time.

• The risk can escalate quickly; what starts as control or emotional abuse can become life-threatening.

• We need more granular, local data (by neighborhood, demographic groups, etc.) so that interventions are efficient and targeted.

  
  

Many women reading this may be asking themselves, “Could I be next? How do I know the signs?” Our hope is that this blog opens space for reflection, for breaking silence, and for encouraging us all to demand better data, better policy, and better protection for survivors.

Final Word:

Domestic violence is more than a “private matter” — it’s a public health crisis, a moral crisis, and a barrier to thriving futures. In Nashville and beyond, it disproportionately harms women, but also leaves children bearing the wounds of exposure.

That’s why As We Rise was founded. Our mission is to help women not just survive — but to rebuild, to grow stronger, to reclaim control and dignity in their lives.

We provide support and guidance for women who are ready to break free from the cycle of abuse. Through our program, participants:

• Explore their personal gifts and talents

• Receive job training in empowering, often nontraditional career paths

• Gain mentorship and community support

• Develop financial independence and life skills

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We don’t believe in telling women what to do—we believe in helping them remember who they are.