Who is affected by IPV? :
Who is affected by IPV? -Women -People in Heterosexual Partnerships
-Men -People in Homosexual Partnerships
-Children -People in bisexual and transsexual relationships
-Elders -Teenagers
*IPV does not discriminate with regards to age, color, race, religion, cultural background, marital status, economic status, or education level.*
“It is estimated that between 20 and 30% of women and 7.5% of men in the United States have been physically and/or sexually abused by an intimate partner at some point in their adult lives.” (as cited by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2004)
-Over 90% of cases involve men abusing women. (Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2002).
Health effects of IPV :
Health effects of IPV Immediate physical harm:
injuries (bruises, cuts, concussions, broken bones, internal injuries and bleeding)
Murder
Common health outcomes:
chronic pain
neurological disorders related to head injuries or strangulation
Gastrointestinal disorders eg. irritable bowel syndrome
STDs and urinary tract infections
Migraine/headaches
various disabilities
Long- term mental and physical health effects
posttraumatic stress disorder
depression
anxiety disorders
suicide ideation and actions
substance abuse (As cited by Crocker, 2005). IPV affects all aspects of a women’s health and wellbeing.
Health effects of IPV :
Health effects of IPV Sexual Abuse:
-May give in to sexual demands to avoid physical punishment from a partner
-Condom refusal = a form of sexual abuse, (especially if concern for HIV/AIDS or any other diseases) (McFarlane & Parker, 1994).
-Requesting condom use may also put the women at risk for abuse
-Reproductive Control
-Rape
Facts about IPV in Maine: :
Facts about IPV in Maine: Conservative estimates suggest that only about half of aggravated and simple assaults are ever reported.
In Maine, the crime of Domestic Assault, as reported to police, occurs every 96 minutes. (Maine Department of Public Safety, Uniform Crime Report, 2005.)
In fiscal year 2006, 13,092 individuals were provided services and 22,449 shelter nights were provided. (MCEDV Service Statistics, 2006)
In Maine from 2000 to 2003, 65% of the women killed were killed by intimate partners. (Maine Department of Public Safety).
Every year over 7,000 Maine women are physically or sexually assaulted by an intimate partner and over half of them (57%) are injured as a result of the violence. (Maine Center for Disease Control, 2008)
One in 20 new mothers in Maine report experiencing abuse during pregnancy. 70% of them were not trying to get pregnant when they conceived, and one-third of them were diagnosed with post-partnum depression, compared to 12% of women who were not victims of domestic violence. (Maine Center for Disease Control, 2008)
www. MCEDV.org
Slide 6:
“Domestic violence is perhaps one of the most under-recognized public health issues that we are facing in our daily medical practices. We have as much responsibility to address this issue as we do cardiac pain, respiratory issues, and other problems.”
(Levenson,Varghese& Morrow, 2007)