Question
What is Intimate Partner Violence?
Answer
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a traumatic event that is also referred to as domestic violence. IPV can be physical, sexual, emotional, or threats of harm that are in a current or former dating, marital, or intimate partnership. This is someone that is not only known, but somebody that someone has intimacy with (not necessarily sexual intimacy), but there is a closeness there or starting to develop.
This type of violence is very common and occurs in both heterosexual and same-sex couples. If we look at, in situations with IPV, with women being victimized, we're looking at almost 36% of women, older than the age of 18, that report some type of violence in an intimate relationship, whether that be rape, physical violence, or stalking.
And because of the intimate relationship, there generally is longevity to it. Particularly in long term relationships where it can continue for several years. And although there's not a single trajectory for IPV in regard to severity, oftentimes, over the years it will lead to severe physical, emotional, and sexual assault. Although it doesn't mean that it has to go on for years for this to happen, although it's more likely that it will.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the webinar, Intimate Partner Violence: Causes and Consequences, presented by Kim Anderson, PhD, MSSW, LCSW.
