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Domestic violence is a broad term that indicates violence in close or intimate interpersonal relationships. This violence is known by many names: intimate partner violence, wife abuse, wife battering, spousal abuse, woman abuse, etc. Some define the term domestic violence even broader to include child abuse, elder abuse, or any close interpersonal relationship. Put simply it is when one person purposely causes either physical or mental harm to another when they are in a close personal relationship. These crimes occur in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships.
The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) defines Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) as a
pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that may include inflicted physical injury, psychological abuse, sexual assault, progressive social isolation, stalking, deprivation, intimidation and threats.These behaviors are perpetrated by someone who is, was, or wishes to be involved in an intimate or dating relationship with an adult or adolescent, and are aimed at establishing control by one partner over the other (Healthy People, 2010).
Because the definition of intimate partner violence/domestic violence (IPV/DV) varies from agency to agency, state to state, obtaining accurate statistics is also difficult. A consistent definition is needed to monitor the incidence of IPV/DV and examine trends over time. It helps determine the magnitude of IPV/DV and compare the problem across jurisdictions. A consistent definition also helps researchers measure risk and protective factors for victimization in a uniform manner. This ultimately informs prevention and intervention efforts (CDC, 2010).
It is also important to remember that abuse rarely occurs in just one form; more frequently forms of abuse occur in combinations. A woman who is physically abused is also likely isolated and controlled by her partner; a woman who is abused sexually may also be stalked and emotionally abused.
IPV/DV is a serious, preventable public health problem affecting more than 32 million Americans (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a). It occurs on a continuum, ranging from one assault that may or may not significantly impact the victim, to chronic, repeated abuse which is also known as battering (CDC, 2010).
There are four main types of IPV/DV (CDC, 2011; CDC, 2010; Saltzman, et al., 2002):
Physical violence is the intentional use of physical force with the potential for causing death, disability, injury, or harm. Physical violence includes, but is not limited to: scratching, pushing, shoving, throwing, grabbing, biting, choking, shaking, slapping, punching, burning, use of a weapon, and use of restraints or one's body, size, or strength against another person.
Sexual violence is divided into three categories:
- Use of physical force to compel a person to engage in a sexual act against his or her will, whether or not the act is completed;
- Attempted or completed sex act involving a person who is unable to understand the nature or condition of the act, to decline participation, or to communicate unwillingness to engage in the sexual act, e.g., because of illness, disability, or the influence of alcohol or other drugs, or because of intimidation or pressure; and
- Abusive sexual contact.
Threats of physical or sexual violence use words, gestures, or weapons to communicate the intent to cause death, disability, injury, or physical harm.
Psychological/emotional violence involves trauma to the victim caused by acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics. Psychological/emotional abuse can include, but is not limited to, humiliating the victim, controlling what the victim can and cannot do, withholding information from the victim, deliberately doing something to make the victim feel diminished or embarrassed, isolating the victim from friends and family, and denying the victim access to money or other basic resources. It is considered psychological/emotional violence when there has been prior physical or sexual violence or prior threat of physical or sexual violence.
Stalking is often included among the types of IPV/DV, either as a separate category, or it is including under psychological/emotional violence.
Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention, harassment, and contact. It is a course of conduct that can include (NCVC, nd):
- Following or laying in wait for the victim
- Repeated unwanted, intrusive, and frightening communications
from the perpetrator by phone, mail, and/or e-mail
- Damaging the victim's property
- Making direct or indirect threats to harm the victim,
the victim's children, relatives, friends, or pets
- Repeatedly sending the victim unwanted gifts
- Harassment through the Internet, known as cyberstalking,
online stalking, or Internet stalking
- Securing personal information about the victim by: accessing
public records (land records, phone listings, driver or
voter registration), using Internet search services, hiring
private investigators, contacting friends, family, work,
or neighbors, going through the victim's garbage, following
the victim, etc.
Stalking generally refers to repeated behavior that causes
victims to feel a high level of fear (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000a).
Stalking can be very traumatic and cause emotional stress.
Victims of stalking may have nightmares; feel out of control;
have trouble sleeping, eating, and concentrating; or feel
vulnerable or depressed. Stalking can also cause financial
stress if the victim loses time from work or can't go to work
(USDHHS, 2011a).
One out of every 12 women has been stalked at some time in
her life. The majority of stalking victims are between 18
and 39 years old. The most common type of stalking is by a
person in a former personal or romantic relationship, like
an ex-husband; only a small number of women are stalked by
strangers (USDHHS, 2011a).
Statistics about IPV/DV vary because of differences in how
different data sources define IPV/DV and collect data. For
example, some definitions include stalking and psychological
abuse, and others consider only physical and sexual violence.
Legal definitions vary from state to state. Data on IPV/DV
usually come from police, clinical settings, nongovernmental
organizations, and survey research.
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