Examining Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence is an often overlooked and misunderstood issue in contemporary society. Contrary to what some may believe, intimate partner violence is more than just abuse that results in a physical injury. There are several other subcategories under the umbrella term ‘violence,’ such as physical non-injury, emotional harm, financial harm, verbal abuse, and sexual violence. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. Additionally, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, about half of all men and women (48.8% and 48.4%, respectively) have experienced some form of psychological aggression by an intimate partner. As this is such a prevalent issue, I conducted an in-depth literature review to examine the different aspects of intimate partner violence. Using the ecological perspective as a framework for the piece, I examined the definition of intimate partner violence, common risk factors, barriers to leaving, and experiences of intimate partner violence by different cultural groups. This literature review will serve as the basis for my dissertation when I enter graduate school