What does this measure?

The number of new protection from abuse cases filed each year in a geographic area, presented per 1,000 residents.

Why is this important?

A protection from abuse order is a civil order from a court to safeguard victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Such an order can prohibit the defendant from abusing or contacting the plaintiff. The rate of new cases filed can indicate levels of domestic violence or intimate partner abuse.

How is our county performing?

In 2016, there were 1,668 new protection from abuse cases filed in Berks County, for a rate of 4.0 per 1,000 residents and higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 3.1. Since 2005, Berks County's rate peaked at 4.4 in 2010 and declined to 3.2 in 2014 before rising again in 2016. The statewide rate changed little from 2005 to 2016.

Compared to neighboring counties, Berks' rate in 2016 was similar to Lehigh but higher than all other surrounding counties. Compared to Berks, the rate was particularly low in Chester County, at 1.1 per 1,000 residents. Similar to Berks, the rate in Montgomery peaked around 2010 and subsequently declined. Lancaster's rate declined fairly steadily from 2007 and had fallen 20% as of 2016.

Notes about the data

The data reflect requests for protection from abuse orders, not all of which were granted by the courts. As a rule, domestic or intimate partner violence tends to be underreported, and can influenced by factors such as public education, outreach efforts and media stories. Comparable national data were not available.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.