Violent crime may be on the decline, but millions of Americans are still living through the aftermath of it. According to a new report from High Rise Financial, there were an estimated 6.3 million incidents of violent victimization in 2023. That’s about 22.5 cases for every 1,000 people.
Although that number reflects a slight drop from the previous year, about 3 percent lower than in 2022, it’s still alarmingly high. And it doesn’t even capture the full scope of the problem, since many survivors never report what happened out of fear, shame, or uncertainty.
At High Rise Financial, researchers hope that putting this information into public view will raise awareness about how widespread violent victimization remains, even as national crime rates trend downward.
What Is Violent Victimization?
Violent victimization is an umbrella term for serious personal crimes like homicide, robbery, rape, and assault. The recent study focused primarily on various forms of assault, which made up a large portion of reported cases in 2023.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types:
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Simple Assault is the most common and involves someone causing physical harm or threats of harm without serious injury. These are often classified as misdemeanors.
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Aggravated Assault is more serious and includes injuries that cause lasting or significant harm. This may or may not involve a weapon and is usually considered a felony.
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Sexual Assault includes non-consensual sexual contact, harassment, groping, and attempted coercion. While it’s different from rape, there is some overlap.
A Look at the Numbers
The U.S. Department of Justice provided more insight into how often these assaults occur:
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Simple assault accounted for 3.9 million cases, or 13.8 incidents per 1,000 people over age 12.
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Aggravated assault was reported 1.27 million times, at a rate of 4.5 per 1,000 people.
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Sexual assault was less common but still deeply troubling, with 481,000 cases, or about 1.7 per 1,000.
These numbers only reflect what’s been reported. Many incidents, especially those involving intimate partners or sexual assault, go unreported.
Where Are the Most Cases Reported?
Some states consistently see higher numbers of violent crimes. Based on recent data, the top five states for reported assault cases in 2023 were:
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California: 198,036
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Texas: 123,856
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New York: 76,298
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Florida: 65,621
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Michigan: 45,888
On the flip side, the states with the fewest reported assaults were:
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Wyoming: 1,116
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Vermont: 1,362
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Maine: 1,430
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New Hampshire: 1,503
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Rhode Island: 1,839
But lower numbers don’t always mean less crime. Reporting rates and access to support services also play a role in how many cases are officially documented.
What About the Relationship Between Victim and Offender?
In many cases, it’s hard to determine the relationship between the person harmed and the person responsible. The data shows:
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600,000 cases involved relationships that were unclear or not disclosed
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460,000 involved strangers
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336,195 involved someone the victim was in a romantic relationship with
These numbers show that violence often comes from people close to the victim, not just strangers in dark alleys, as stereotypes might suggest.
Moving Toward Awareness and Action
Sharing this data isn’t just about numbers; it’s about acknowledging the real people behind each statistic. High Rise Financial hopes that by putting these findings out into the world, more survivors will feel empowered to seek help, and more communities will take steps to improve safety and support.
No one deserves to be harmed, threatened, or intimidated. And no one should feel alone after surviving a violent incident.
If you’ve experienced assault or victimization, you are not to blame. Help is available, and your story matters. Speaking out, when and if you’re ready, can be a powerful first step toward healing and holding those responsible accountable.