Spouse/Domestic Partner Physical Abuse

Domestic violence (DV) has been classified as a major public health issue. Numerous intimate relationships exhibit a pattern of severe and ongoing violence. In fact, physical assault and rape by intimates are far more common than acts perpetrated by strangers. DV is present across all racial, ethnic, class, sexual orientations, and nationalities. While both women and men are victims of DV, the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) determined many more women, one in four, experience DV during their lifetime. Moreover, women are 7 to 14 times more likely than men to be injured during these acts. Carole Warshaw and her colleagues found that for women seeking help, 22% to 35% of women presenting in, or coming to, the emergency room (ER); 64% of women ...