Intimate Partner Violence - Thesis Example

Intimate partner violence has become one of the major issues causing women to develop significant unfavorable effects observed with the physical, mental, emotional, and psychological well-being of these women. For health workers who are often called to manage the health of these abused partners, knowledge and skills are very much needed in order to assist these abused partners. According to the Centers for Disease Control, intimate partner violence (IPV) is violence which usually “occurs between two people in a close relationship”.

Intimate partner in this case includes current and former spouses as well as dating partners. This type of violence is observed as a single and as continuing episodes of violence. It also covers different types of behavior including physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse. Physical violence occurs when one partner hurts or tries to hurt his or her partner by hitting, kicking, slapping, or inflicting other types of physical injuries on the partner. Threats include physical or sexual violence with the use of words, weapons, gestures or other tools of communication.

Finally, emotional abuse involves threatening a partner or his or her possessions or loved ones or harming them and their self-worth. Examples may include stalking, intimidation, or preventing one from contacting or seeing his or her family and/or friends. This violence may later escalate to physical or sexual assaults, sometimes with growing frequency and severity.