What is Intimate Partner Violence?

Intimate partner violence is a term that is interchangeable with domestic violence. It can take many forms. It may involve physical aggression, verbal abuse, emotional manipulation, forced sexual activity, or financial control. Often abuse in not physical, but any abuse is still part of an indication of power and control and could lead to more aggressive actions in the future. Violence in a relationship is not an isolated incident, but a pattern of behaviors designed to control another person.

Intimate partner violence is found in every socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural group in society and among heterosexuals, lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals alike.