Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a term used to describe the behavior of an intimate partner or an intimate ex-partner that promotes or causes sexual, physical, or psychological harm. IPV can include, but is not limited to sexual coercion, controlling practices, physical aggressiveness, and psychological abuse.

Sexual IPV can be specified as enforced sexual acts upon a partner or sexual acts performed when a partner is unable to give consent because of mental incapacity, drug, or alcohol use. Sexual IPV may include exploitation of immigration or economic vulnerability, along with degrading threats of sexual nature. Physical IPV involves choking, shoving, slapping, burning, scratching, hitting, hair pulling and use of restraints or weapons. Psychological IPV encompasses both verbal and non-verbal communication used to inflict pain upon the other partner either emotionally or mentally or as an effort to control the decisions or behaviors of the other partner. Psychological IPV incorporates humiliation, degradation, mind games, control of sexual and reproductive health, and threats towards the partner’s friends, family, or pets.

IPV does not necessarily infer that partners are in a marital relationship or have previously been sexually intimate. IPV can occur in dating relationships and be experienced at any age. While IPV can be conducted towards heterosexual men, it is excessively experienced by women and gender/sexual minorities. Those that experience IPV are more likely to experience a wide range of both physical and mental health issues as a result.

The most devastating consequences of IPV, beyond the actual experience of IPV, include suicidality, depression, and both reproductive and sexual health problems. Shame is often associated with IPV, and directly influences the victim of IPV in their decision to seek help and in their general emotional well-being. Shame often acts as a barrier to those that need or wish to seek help. Individuals that experience IPV are often afraid to disclose the violence to family, friends, or authorities due to the shame they experience. Shame operates on various levels in relation to victimization. Many that experience IPV feel shame around their direct denial of the violence as it occurred and their reactions to the violence they experienced, even years after the relationship has ended.

If you would like to speak to a professional counselor or psychologist about this and are in the Chicago area, please feel free to contact Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc. at 708-633-8000. We are located at 6819 West 167^th Street in Tinley Park, Illinois 60477.

Hillary R.,

Masters Level Intern, 2023

Sources –

Breiding MJ, Basile KC, Smith SG, Black MC, Mahendra RR. Intimate Partner Violence Surveillance: Uniform Definitions and Recommended Data Elements, Version 2.0. Atlanta (GA): National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2015.

Stewart DE, MacMillan H, Kimber M. Recognizing and Responding to Intimate Partner Violence: An Update. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2021;66(1):71-106. doi:10.1177/0706743720939676