Poll: Does New Domestic- and Sexual-violence Data Seem Accurate?

New statistics this week from the federal government say that more than a third of women in Minnesota have been raped, stalked or suffered physical violence by their intimate partners sometime in their lives. (See table for MN below.)

That is one estimate of many national and state figures included in a study by Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS).

'I'm Not Surprised'
Connie Moore, executive director of in Blaine (Anoka County's one domestic- and sexual-violence shelter and victim resource center), said she had heard about the CDC figures and was planning to dig into the report Friday.

"No they weren't surprising at all," Moore said of the widely reported figures.

She said the CDC's research, conducted via random survey by telephone, was likely turning up experiences that would otherwise remain hidden.

"They're probably uncovering some numbers you wouldn't normally see," Moore said, adding that traditionally, rape statistics are highly underreported to law enforcement and health care providers.

More Than 200 Domestics
In Fridley, police respond to domestic disputes of one kind or another most days.

"So far in 2011 we have made 30 arrests for domestic assault and we have responded to 213 domestic related disturbances," Fridley Police Lt. Mike Monsrud said in an email Thursday.

An apparent example of one such domestic incident took place in Fridley Thursday. Anoka County dispatchers alerted police to a report of a male alleged to have held a knife to a woman's throat and to have choked her.

Monsrud had this summary shortly after the incident Thursday:

Fridley police were dispatched at 11:51 AM to the 5700 block of E River Rd on a report of a domestic assault. Police arrested a 45 year old Fridley man for felony domestic assault by strangulation and 2nd degree assault. The male suspect also had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Anoka county for controlled substance crimes. The male is currently in the Anoka County jail and we expect formal charges to be filed on Friday.

The Fridley City Council heard from Alexandra House in September when Mayor Scott Lund proclaimed October to be .

Alexandra House Donations and Volunteering
You can donate to Alexandra House at the organization's website or by sending a check to Alexandra House, P.O. Box 49039, Blaine, MN 55449-0039.

"We're hoping to break even by the end of the year," Moore said, noting that 2012 will bring a 2 percent reduction in state funding.

To find out about volunteering, call Liz Meyers at 763-656-1388.

CDC Statistics for Minnesota
Here are the CDC's figures for Minnesota in six categories. Estimates are in bold, with the range in which the CDC has 95 percent confidence shown within parentheses.