ABSTRACT
For purposes of this chapter, intimate partner violence (IPV) is any physical, sexual, or psychological harm or stalking by a current or former partner (i.e., spouse, domestic partners, boyfriends/girlfriends, dating partners, or ongoing sexual partners) (Breiding, Basile, Smith, Black, & Mahendra, in press). IPV is a serious public health problem. In addition to deaths and injuries, IPV is associated with a number of adverse health outcomes that include asthma, bladder/kidney infections, circulatory conditions, cardiovascular disease, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain syndromes, central nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, joint disease, migraines/headaches, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexual dysfunction, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS), unintended pregnancies, delayed prenatal care, preterm delivery, low birth weight babies, perinatal deaths, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, suicidal behavior, and sleep disturbances (Black, 2011). IPV against women costs the United States over $8.3 billion a year (in 2003 dollars) just in medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (Max, Rice, Finkelstein, Bardwell, & Leadbetter, 2004). Costs would be much higher if those related to the criminal justice system were included.
