More than half of Texas adults have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, according to a new report.
The Texas Violence Experiences Survey from Tulane University is the first statewide survey on lived experiences of violence – including forms that often go unreported to law enforcement. The survey also found that more than half of Texas adults have experienced sexual violence and almost half have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
“This particular survey is the only survey that captures the various forms of violence,” said Anita Raj, executive director of Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and a professor of public health. “One of the things we know is that forms of violence are often interrelated.”
The report comes as the state officially launched the Family Violence Homicide Prevention Task Force on Tuesday — which will analyze risk factors for domestic violence homicide and use data to make policy recommendations.
Raj said people with past experiences of violence were more likely to experience violence in their adulthood. The survey also found a strong association between recent economic shock and violence.
“Things like indications of economic deprivation, not having enough money for food or basic needs, eviction in the past year, homelessness in the last year, incarceration in the past year, and those types of economic and basically residential stability shocks,” she said. “We find to be a huge risk factor co-occurring with odds of having experienced violence in the past year.”
In Texas, food insecurity was associated with more than double the risk of violence in the past year, and homelessness was associated with more than triple the risk. In addition, people who have experienced violence in the past year are two to three times more likely to report anxiety and depression and two to seven times more likely to report binge drinking and illicit drug use.
“If we don't affect the violence both by addressing the needs and the trauma-related needs of those who've been affected, but also engaging in acts of prevention, particularly for young people,” Raj said, “then you are not going to be able to tackle the mental health crisis.”
She said prevention efforts have to understand how factors like marginalization, economic strain and mental health correlate.
Raj said most studies rely on crime data to identify what kind of violence is happening, but the Violence Experiences Survey takes a more comprehensive approach.
Researchers found most survivors of violence don’t seek formal or legal services – meaning relying on crime data can misrepresent the extent of violence.
Heather Bellino, CEO of the Texas Advocacy Project, a nonprofit offering free legal services and social support for survivors, said there are several challenges that contribute to underreporting and not engaging in services.
“[Experiencing violence] creates a lot of shame for somebody who's being harmed. It shouldn't, but it does,” Bellino said. “As a whole, we have created a lot of that stigma because we re-victimize people. We blame the victims all the time as a society.”
In addition, she said it can also be difficult to connect people to services in a state like Texas.
“We are such a large and vast state,” Bellino said. “Our challenge is to make sure that we're able to help everybody in all of the communities.”
Legal remedies and formal services can come with barriers beyond stigma and fear. Remedies on the civil side of the law, like protective orders and divorce, can be expensive – but can have a significant effect on deterring violence. Bellino said some studies show a protective order can make someone 80% less likely to be re-victimized.
“It's a responsibility of all of ours to make sure that we know what resources are available in our community,” Bellino said.
The survey produced new data and analysis, but Raj said it may take time to provide more insight for policymakers, advocates and people who work with survivors. Texas was included in the state surveys for the first time in 2025. It's also one of only four states — including California, Louisiana, Mississippi — where Tulane University has conducted a survey.
Raj said as the survey grows to include more states, the data can make comparisons easier. Researchers will also be able to identify trends and significant changes over time as they produce reports moving forward.
The report offers several recommendations to address violence in the state of Texas, including investing in early and “life-span oriented” prevention and addressing how different populations are at risk in different ways.
“Understanding the nature of violence across the lifespan, as well considering some intergenerational aspects of it, is really important in understanding how we can address violence and prevent it,” Raj said.
Abigail Ruhman is KERA’s health reporter. Got a tip? Email Abigail at aruhman@kera.org.
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