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Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS)
Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS)
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Comprehensive data
Every human being has the right to be safe and free from violence in their own homes, in their relationships, and in their community. Intimate partner violence and sexual violence are endemic problems. Since 2010, the Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) has provided comprehensive statewide and regional data to guide planning and policy development and to evaluate the impact of prevention and intervention services. Learn more about how and why we do the AVS.
The AVS is conducted by the UAA Justice Center for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA). We thank each of the approximately 13,000 women in Alaska who have participated
in these surveys. Because of your courage, we know more about the impact of violence
and are better prepared to respond to and prevent it across our state.
Recent results from the AVS
The most recent statewide survey conducted in 2020 found that 48 out 100 Alaskan women experienced intimate partner violence; that 41 out of 100 Alaskan women experienced sexual violence; and 58 out of 100 Alaskan women experienced either of these types of violence over the course of their lifetime.
Alaska statewide lifetime violence
This image is an icon array, which displays the proportion of women in Alaska who experienced three types of violence. First, 48 out of 100 adult women who reside in the state of Alaska experienced intimate partner violence. Second, 41 out of 100 adult women who reside in the state of Alaska experienced sexual violence. Finally, 58 out of 100 adult women who reside in the state of Alaska experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both.
Statewide lifetime & past year violence: 2010, 2015 & 2020
Statewide surveys were conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2020. Although there was a decline in lifetime and past-year experiences with violence between 2010 and 2015, in 2020 the rates increased back to 2010 levels for lifetime experiences with violence. Past-year experiences with violence remained closer to the 2015 rates. Click on the buttons below to see lifetime reported violence and past-year reported violence.
Alaska lifetime estimates of violence between 2010 and 2020 are presented below. These estimates are separated into sub-components. Intimate partner violence (composite) is separated into two types: threats of physical violence and experienced physical violence. Sexual violence (composite) is also separated into two types: alcohol- or drug-involved sexual assault, and forcible sexual assault. Finally, if any of these types of violence were reported, they were classified as experiencing any violence (composite).
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| Intimate partner violence (composite) | 47.6 | 40.4 | 48.0 |
| Threats of physical violence | 31.0 | 25.6 | 28.5 |
| Physical violence | 44.8 | 39.6 | 46.8 |
| Sexual violence (composite) | 37.1 | 33.1 | 40.5 |
| Alcohol- or drug-involved sexual assault | 26.8 | 22.6 | 27.5 |
| Forcible sexual assault | 25.6 | 23.5 | 27.7 |
| Any violence (composite) | 58.6 | 50.3 | 57.7 |
Alaska past-year estimates of violence between 2010 and 2020 are presented below. These estimates are separated into sub-components. Intimate partner violence (composite) is separated into two types: threats of physical violence and experienced physical violence. Sexual violence (composite) is also separated into two types: alcohol- or drug-involved sexual assault, and forcible sexual assault. Finally, if any of these types of violence were reported, they were classified as experiencing any violence (composite).
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| Intimate partner violence (composite) | 9.4 | 6.4 | 6.9 |
| Threats of physical violence | 5.8 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
| Physical violence | 8.6 | 5.9 | 6.5 |
| Sexual violence (composite) | 4.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| Alcohol- or drug-involved sexual assault | 3.6 | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| Forcible sexual assault | 2.5 | 1.6 | 2.2 |
| Any violence (composite) | 11.8 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
Regional results from the AVS
In addition to the statewide surveys, regional surveys were conducted between 2011 and 2015 to better understand geographic variation in experiences with intimate partner violence and sexual violence. The following table presents those estimates.
Any violence by region
Alaska lifetime and past-year estimates of any violence (composite) by region are presented below. This includes questions about intimate partner violence (both threats and physical violence), and questions about sexual violence (both alcohol- or drug-involved sexual and forcible sexual assault).
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| Alaska Statewide ‘10 | 58.6 | 144,881 | 11.8 | 29,174 |
| Alaska Statewide ’15 | 50.3 | n/a | 8.1 | n/a |
| Alaska Statewide ’20 | 57.7 | n/a | 8.1 | n/a |
| Aleutian/Pribilof Island Region '14-15 | 44.8 | 1,076 | n/a | n/a |
| Municipality of Anchorage ‘11 | 50.9 | 54,313 | 8.5 | 9,070 |
| Municipality of Anchorage ’15 | 48.3 | n/a | 7.5 | n/a |
| Bristol Bay Region '11 | 51.7 | 1,246 | 14.4 | 347 |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough '11 | 44.8 | 15,213 | 5.5 | 1,868 |
| City and Borough of Juneau '11 | 55.4 | 6,521 | 12.6 | 1,483 |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough '13 | 52.0 | 10,353 | 5.5 | 1,095 |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough '13 | 50.0 | 2,498 | 8.8 | 440 |
| Kodiak Island Borough 12 | 43.8 | 1,986 | 6.2 | 281 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough 13 | 52.5 | 16,033 | 8.8 | 2,687 |
| Nome Census Area '14 | 51.0 | 1,463 | 10.5 | 301 |
| City and Borough of Sitka '12 | 47.0 | 1,605 | 6.8 | 232 |
| Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta '12 | 50.8 | 3,635 | 16.9 | 1,209 |
Intimate partner violence by region
Alaska lifetime and past-year estimates of intimate partner violence (composite) by region are presented below. This includes questions about both threats and physical violence.
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| Alaska Statewide ‘10 | 47.6 | 117,685 | 9.4 | 23,240 |
| Alaska Statewide ’15 | 40.4 | n/a | 6.4 | n/a |
| Alaska Statewide ’20 | 48.0 | n/a | 6.9 | n/a |
| Aleutian/Pribilof Island Region '14-15 | 42.7 | 1,028 | n/a | n/a |
| Municipality of Anchorage ‘11 | 42.2 | 45,030 | 8.2 | 8,750 |
| Municipality of Anchorage ’15 | 38.6 | n/a | 5.4 | n/a |
| Bristol Bay Region '11 | 44.2 | 1,066 | 12.3 | 297 |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough '11 | 34.6 | 11,749 | 4.8 | 1,630 |
| City and Borough of Juneau '11 | 47.1 | 5,544 | 12.1 | 1,424 |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough '13 | 43.0 | 8,561 | 4.0 | 796 |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough '13 | 42.5 | 2,123 | 7.3 | 365 |
| Kodiak Island Borough 12 | 38.4 | 1,741 | 5.7 | 258 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough 13 | 45.5 | 13,895 | 7.6 | 2,321 |
| Nome Census Area '14 | 40.3 | 1,156 | 8.6 | 247 |
| City and Borough of Sitka '12 | 40.4 | 1,380 | 5.1 | 174 |
| Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta '12 | 44.6 | 3,191 | 13.6 | 973 |
Sexual violence by region
Alaska lifetime and past-year estimates of sexual violence (composite) by region are presented below. This includes questions about both alcohol- or drug-involved sexual and forcible sexual assault.
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| Alaska Statewide ‘10 | 37.1 | 91,725 | 4.3 | 10,631 |
| Alaska Statewide ’15 | 33.1 | n/a | 2.9 | n/a |
| Alaska Statewide ’20 | 40.5 | n/a | 3.4 | n/a |
| Aleutian/Pribilof Island Region '14-15 | 24.3 | 585 | n/a | n/a |
| Municipality of Anchorage ‘11 | 29.6 | 31,585 | 1.4 | 1,494 |
| Municipality of Anchorage ’15 | 31.6 | n/a | 3.6 | n/a |
| Bristol Bay Region '11 | 31.2 | 752 | 4.4 | 106 |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough '11 | 31.6 | 10,730 | 1.3 | 441 |
| City and Borough of Juneau '11 | 35.3 | 4,155 | 1.0 | 118 |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough '13 | 30.1 | 5,993 | 2.2 | 438 |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough '13 | 33.2 | 1,659 | 4.7 | 235 |
| Kodiak Island Borough 12 | 22.9 | 1,039 | 1.1 | 50 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough 13 | 33.7 | 10,292 | 3.0 | 916 |
| Nome Census Area '14 | 31.0 | 889 | 5.2 | 149 |
| City and Borough of Sitka '12 | 24.7 | 844 | 2.4 | 82 |
| Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta '12 | 25.4 | 1,817 | 5.1 | 365 |
Other AVS results
UAA ScholarWorks AVS Repository
A compendium of all statewide and regional publications using the AVS data is located in the UAA ScholarWorks AVS Repository. This compendium includes more detail on the results above as well as information on elder abuse and stalking.
The Alaska Justice Information Center (AJIC) has prepared an interactive data dashboard, "Intimate Partner Violence - Interactive Data Dashboard (IPV-IDD)." Using AVS data this dashboard allows for interacting with and visualizing experiences with coercive control and entrapment, psychological aggression, and physical violence.
AVS & Alaska Mental Health Trust Beneficiaries Report
The Alaska Justice Information Center (AJIC) has released a report, “Adverse Childhood Experiences, Intimate Partner Violence, and Sexual Violence Among Alaska Mental Health Trust Beneficiaries: Findings from the Alaska Victimization Survey,” along with two fact sheets.