SACRAMENTO – (INT) – Reports of domestic violence in California continue a 24-year decline. But, the severity of those incidents is worsening.

According to the California Department of Justice, while domestic violence in suburban and rural counties have declined dramatically, urban counties have seen an uptick.

California law enforcement agencies fielded more than 160,000 calls related to domestic violence, or 18 calls per hour, in 2023, the most recent year of data. This represents a considerable decline from 2001 when authorities were getting 23 calls per hour.

Domestic violence is now more likely to involve weapons, which can include physical objects like knives and firearms as well as assailants’ fists or other body parts.

Story Date: April 17, 2025