On April 1, 2026, Cleveland public health officials put hard numbers behind a painful reality in the city: Black women and girls are seeking emergency room care for assault injuries at far higher rates than other groups. The Cleveland Department of Public Health is framing the findings as “proof” that can guide where the city puts its money for prevention and support.
According to the Cleveland Department of Public Health’s Cleveland Department of Public Health, Cleveland recorded 38.6 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2023. Emergency department visits for gunshot wounds were 102.1 per 100,000, and there were 540.8 visits per 100,000 for physical assault injuries. The report covers calendar year 2023 and breaks incidents down by age, race, sex and neighborhood to show where injuries are concentrated.
Disparities Hit Black Women And Girls Hardest
In a post on the Cleveland Department of Public Health Facebook page, the department highlighted that Black women and girls go to the emergency room for assault “nearly 2 times” more than any other group. Officials said that gap has to drive how the city designs prevention efforts and survivor support. The post linked to the full data release and cast the numbers as a starting line for policy, not a finish line…