In a stark revelation during the Senate Appropriations meeting on March 11, 2025, North Dakota officials highlighted alarming statistics regarding domestic violence and sexual assault in the state. In 2023 alone, there were 6,131 new victims of domestic violence, with 83 percent of these victims being women. Disturbingly, 105 of these women were pregnant at the time of their assault. The impact of these incidents extended beyond the victims, as at least 4,205 children were directly affected, potentially witnessing the violence in their homes.

The meeting also addressed sexual assault, reporting 1,288 new primary victims in 2023. Of these cases, 1,042 victims were female, with 55 percent of the assailants being male. The data, sourced from the North Dakota Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Coalition, underscores the critical need for support services, as these incidents were managed by 19 domestic violence and sexual assault centers across the state.

Senator Mather raised questions about the statistics, particularly regarding the proportion of male and female assailants. The discussion emphasized the complexity of the issue, with officials acknowledging the need for further analysis of the data.

The meeting also included a tour of the Children's Advocacy Center and discussions about the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program, highlighting ongoing efforts to address these pressing issues. The statistics presented serve as a call to action for lawmakers and community leaders to enhance support systems for victims and work towards reducing these alarming rates of violence in North Dakota.