Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV), also known as interpersonal violence or domestic violence, is characterized by the use of force directed toward someone with whom the perpetrator has a current or past intimate relationship. IPV is common, with a point prevalence of 15% to 20% of the U.S. population. Lifetime prevalence is considerably higher, with up to 50% of American women sustaining IPV at some point. Between 25% and 33% of relationships will involve at least one incident of IPV. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 1.3 million married women in the United States were victims of interpersonal violence. Every year, 500,000 women require medical care for injuries sustained during an episode of IPV; this figure is considered an underestimation, as ...