Intimate Partner Violence

[Page 978]In general, compared with men, women are disproportionately victimized by intimate partner violence (IPV). This is true for physical violence as well as for sexual violence. In fact, some studies have shown that females are victimized up to eight times more than men. Women are more likely than men to file assault charges associated with IPV. Outcomes for women are also disproportionately negative, including physical injuries and emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Women victimized at higher levels of abuse (e.g., more intense physical injuries) are more likely to experience depression and anxiety than women who experience less aggression from their abuser.

IPV is more likely to occur in younger couples (younger than age 30 years), and rates of IPV ...