Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that affects millions of Americans. IPV refers to any harm, physical, psychological, or mental, caused by a current or former partner or spouse. IPV bears in mind specific forms of violence that are not covered by traditional domestic violence. While domestic violence primarily deals with the physical pain infliction, psychological or mental in a domestic relationship, IPV focuses on harms caused by an intimate partner without necessarily using the marriage frameworks. Additionally, IPV entails any acts that make a person uncomfortable or feel threatened, such as stalking and cyberbullying by a current or former intimate partner. Due to the dynamic nature of intimate partnership violence, most Americans rarely realize the harm their partners do to them, especially in comparison to the broad paradigms of domestic violence, while others choose to ignore the injury due to intimidation and fear.
Intimate partner violence occurs not only heterosexual couples, but it also affects same-sex couples, which presents a unique challenge for the partner being violated. While in heterosexual partnerships, there are established mechanisms and systems to advocate for the rights of the abused partner, same-sex couples do not enjoy the same privilege. Various lobby groups and activists have created safe spaces where women in abusive intimate partnerships can report their cases and seek legal intervention. Women can make use of such groups as shelter homes championing for gender equality and an end to discrimination and domestic violence anywhere in America. However, same-sex couples do not have access to such platforms and therefore find it challenging to get the support they need to get out of the abusive partnerships while seeking legal aid. Additionally, the traditional view on intimate partner violence places so much emphasis on the female violation, while overlooking the fact that in some cases, men get violated as well.
As earlier on stated, intimate partner violence takes on many forms, the main one being physical abuse. In physical abuse, the abusive partner inflicts physical pain upon the victim by hitting them. The intensity of the pain inflicted varies from mild to extensive. The impact of such an act can be so severe that it causes irreparable health damage. IPV can also be psychological, where the abuser breaks their partner with demeaning and hurtful words. Insults make the victims feel worthless and unimportant, while, in some cases, it leads them to have low self-esteem. Psychological abuse manipulates the victim to trap them in the relationship. By not believing in themselves, the victim believes that they can never amount to anything and that they deserve to be treated that disrespectfully.
Some of the factors that lead to and promote IPV include low esteem, low income, low academic achievement, and young age on the part of the victim. Individuals who exhibit the above qualities are more likely to be abused by their partners due to their vulnerability. The abuser talks advantage of their helplessness, believing that the victim is trapped in the relationship due to dependence. All of these factors create an environment for easy manipulation of the victim since they essentially have nowhere to go, so instead, they choose to persevere. Mothers equally persevere, and by so doing, encourage the perpetrator because of their children, and the need to provide the perfect home for the children. Many women are afraid of walking out or speaking about their abusive marriages because of the overwhelming need to provide the ideal background to bring up children where they have both parents.
Some of the risk factors and indicators for IPV that people should watch out on include aggressive behaviors as a youth and drugs and alcohol abuse. Individuals who show tendencies of aggressiveness as children and in their early adult life are more likely to become aggressive partners once they reach the maturity age. Therefore, it is crucial to identify such characteristics early enough in the life of a youth and provide adequate intervention measures to ensure they are rightfully trained on how to interact with those around them, and subsequently, their partners. Anger and hostility are also other indicators that a person should watch out for before getting into an intimate commitment. People with anger issues, as well as individuals lacking social problem-solving skills, are more likely to be aggressive when provoked, hence pose a threat to their partners. It is essential for an individual to taker their time to study these and other vices before making an intimate commitment.
However, some individuals find themselves in abusive relationships after they have already committed. It could be that the violent partner was really good at hiding their true colors during dating, or that they drastically changed after a while. Either way, it is vital to be on the lookout for the following marital and relationship reflags. Frequent conflicts and tension, jealousy, marital instabilities and divorce, economic stress, unhealthy family relationships, and social isolation n are all indicators of a violent partner. It is essential to be on the lookout for these factors in a relationship to be able to seek proper help and intervention in the early stages. Although most partners assume these scenarios and disregard them as passing issues, they usually take root after a while, becoming a norm that leads to physical assault. Unless the partners seek help in good time, they risk running into uncertainties that could potentially lead to their separation.
To prevent intimate partner violence, some steps can be taken both at the personal and community levels to foster healthy relationships and open lines of communication. At the relationship level, it is essential to cultivate high friendship quality among the couple. Such a stable and robust friendship encourages open dialogue between the partners regarding the various challenges they go through, and together they can work towards finding an amicable solution. Socially speaking, a partner needs to have a strong support network that includes their families, friends, and the community around them. Such social support ensures that they get the right avenue to open up to regarding any marital challenges they face and work towards finding a better solution. Additionally, such a support system enables the victim of IPV to get in touch with the legal and medical aid they may need. Most victims of domestic violence fear opening up to their friends because they fear being judged. However, such a support network encourages openness with no judgments and discrimination.
Lastly, a partner needs to recognize and accept the indicators of domestic violence and be willing to seek and take help. Most victims of IPV live in denial, fear, and shame. They do not want to accept the fact that the people they once considered loving and romantic turned out to be abusers. Victims choose to believe that the abuse is a passing phase and will go away eventually, if only they hold on a little longer. Although it is correct to point out that in some instances, IPV can be solved by getting the necessary psychological intervention, some partners never change. Therefore, it is crucial to determine at what point one should walk away, convinced that they did everything they could to save their relationship. Having walked away from an abusive relationship, the victim must be willing to work with the authorities to bring the perpetrator to book. Some forms of abuse, such as stalking, cyberbullying, sexual assault, as well as threatening the life of another person, are serious criminal offenses that must be brought to justice. The victim needs to contact the relevant authorities to not only receive the psychological and medical aid they need but also to seek justice for themselves.
In conclusion, intimate partner violence takes on many forms and affects all people in a relationship, regardless of their gender or the type of union they are in. Therefore, it is crucial to be educated on the various indicators of IPV and to be on the lookout for any situation that might pose a threat from one’s partner. Secondly, the victim should be willing to speak up about the challenges they go through, get into a support group to help them deal with whatever issues they face. Most importantly, one must have the courage to walk away from intimate torture and report these acts to the relevant authorities. Seeking justice is crucial in ending domestic violence and raising awareness on the same issue.