Intimate Partner Violence, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) involves a traumatic set of circumstances between couples that typically includes one or more acts of violence against a partner. Women are typically the victims of IPV and experience a number of devastating consequences, including but not limited to chronic disease, HIV/AIDS, injuries, and reproductive concerns, among others (Ellsberg & Emmelin, 2014). Furthermore, IPV contributes to a variety of mental health and psychological consequences, including depression and anxiety (Ellsberg & Emmelin, 2014). As a result, it is necessary to recognize the severity of this problem and how it impacts female victims throughout the world at high levels; for example, between 15 and 71 percent of women across ten different countries who have been married have experienced IPV in their lives (Ellsberg & Emmelin, 2014). These findings suggest that this problem poses a significant threat to the lives of many women and requires further analysis regarding its causes, as well as the potential solutions that are available to address the problem more effectively and to prevent additional cases throughout the world.

Body

Intimate partner violence is represented by a number of risk factors that may include socioeconomic status, exposure to violence, and education, other issues must also be considered that go beyond these considerations (Ellsberg & Emmelin, 2014). IPV affects both males and females, and in one survey, over 4.2 million women and 3.2 men were victims of rapes, stalking, and sexual assaults on an annual basis (Capaldi, Knoble, Shortt, & Kim, 2012). This reflects a need to further evaluate relationships in order to better determine some of the risk factors associated with IPV from this perspective (Capaldi et.al, 2012). There are different forms of physical violence that often coincide with sexual abuse within these relationships, thereby contributing to traumatic circumstances for these victims (Capaldi et.al, 2012). In addition, many partners are abused in a psychological manner, which contributes to the traumatic experience and the further degradation of victims (Capaldi et.al, 2012). It is known that “regardless of any differences in frequency and/or severity of engagement in IPV by girls/women and boys/men, overall there are more similarities than differences in risk factors” (Capaldi et.al, 2012). This requires an examination of some of the factors related to IPV and that contribute to these acts and their level of risk for victims.

Intimate partner violence also contributes to the necessity to recognize when these acts might have occurred and to perform screenings for women who may be victims. In accordance with the recommendations set forth by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), “clinicians screen women of childbearing age for intimate partner violence (IPV), such as domestic violence, and provide or refer women who screen positive to intervention services” (Moyer, 2013). This reflects a need to further evaluate women who face a possible risk of intimate partner violence or who have been victims of these events so that they are able to receive the proper treatment and evaluation in a timely manner (Moyer, 2013). It is necessary to provide these screenings to women and to optimize the resources that are available to victims of IPV in order to prevent future cases and to manage these traumatic experiences in an effective manner (Moyer, 2013).

Within the younger population, it is known that “for adolescents and young adults, the effects of physical and sexual assault are associated with poor self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, risky sexual behaviors, teen pregnancy, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and other conditions” (Moyer, 2013). These findings suggest that there must be a greater focus on younger victims of IPV so that they are able to obtain the proper treatment and support, along with a means of preventing additional acts from taking place (Moyer, 2013). The younger population, which is particularly vulnerable to different circumstances, may face a higher risk of IPV under specific circumstances; therefore, this requires an examination of the different areas where these risks may be evident (Moyer, 2013). IPV in the adolescent population must be explored in greater detail and provide further evidence of the different elements that impact these individuals and their risk, as well as the types of trauma that they may experience.

The screening process for women who have experienced intimate partner violence represents a means of addressing their needs in a timely manner; however, this also reflects a need to develop a greater focus on these events, particularly the cost of screening versus its overall benefits (Taft et.al, 2013). There must be a greater focus on the development of screening tools that will also contribute to a higher level of follow through and greater support for these victims (Taft et.al, 2013). It is important for healthcare providers to optimize their resources for screening potential victims of IPV and to be proactive as they work with these patients in order to make a difference in their lives (Taft et.al, 2013). Some recommendations have been made to promote screenings for all women on a universal basis; however, prior evidence indicates that this is not necessary the best use of resources and should not be considered as the gold standard for all women (Taft et.al, 2013). These factors represent a need to evaluate when to screen women for potential IPV and when it might not be a cost effective measure (Taft et.al, 2013).

Women who face a risk of intimate partner violence or who are victims of these events must be provided with the tools and resources that are required to ensure that their needs are met and are provided with the support that is necessary to improve their quality of life, in spite of this trauma (Moyer, 2013). In general, IPV is “considered to be a significant and largely unaddressed public health problem” (Moyer, 2013). This reflects a need to further evaluate the conditions under which IPV is identified and to determine who is at risk and what is required to reduce these risks as best as possible (Moyer, 2013). Since risk factors may include age, economic circumstances, marital problems, and substance abuse, these issues must be taken into consideration in the event that IPV trauma is identified or suspected (Moyer, 2013). Under these circumstances, there must be a greater focus on the development of a program to improve outcomes for these victims and to recognize the importance of ongoing treatment and support to improve their quality of life (Moyer, 2013).

Intimate partner violence is a global issue on many levels and requires an examination of the different tools and resources that are available to address this problem as a human rights concern with significant implications for public health (Devries et.al, 2013). This represents a means of expanding knowledge and resources in order to effectively promote an understanding of IPV and what is required to promote prevention among different population groups (Devries et.al, 2013). This issue is quite complex in nature; therefore, it is often difficult to manage the potential outcomes without an understanding of the reasons why IPV occurs to begin with and what steps might be taken to overcome these risks at a higher level (Devries et.al, 2013). In general, there is a greater emphasis on the prevention of violence against women, as these behaviors subject women to unnecessary and traumatic risk and harm from the physical, emotional, and psychological points of view (Devries et.al, 2013). These factors are critical because they impact women in many different ways and must be preventable in order to preserve basic human rights for women as best as possible (Devries et.al, 2013).

The overall nature of policymaking to prevent intimate partner violence in women requires an effective understanding of the dynamics surrounding these behaviors and what is required to improve the quality of life for these women and to prevent further complications for women throughout the world (Devries et.al, 2013). Most importantly, women must be protected by policies and regulations that will preserve their rights and enable them to conduct their lives without fear of experiencing these acts (Devries et.al, 2013). Most importantly, women must receive adequate education and resources in order to ensure that they are protected from intimate partner violence as best as possible and are able to develop strategies that will facilitate protection from these events and what is required to facilitate their wellbeing (Devries et.al, 2013). Women who possess greater economic circumstances may face a lower risk of IPV under some conditions, although this is not always the case and requires a continuous examination of the risk factors related to the condition and its overall risk among women across different population groups (Devries et.al, 2013).

Conclusion

Intimate partner violence involves a traumatic set of circumstances that occur with males and females and require an understanding of their causes and the risk factors that are associated with these events. It is important to identify some of these challenges and to determine which strategies are most appropriate to screen and identify victims of IPV. This is an ongoing process that requires stronger legal consequences for the perpetrators of IPV, and this represents a means of recognizing the behaviors that contribute to these events. The risk factors of IPV must be considered in greater detail in an effort to better understand why these behaviors occur and to determine methods of prevention that will have a lasting impact on potential victims. Legal consequences must be applied to those accused of these acts and ongoing physical, emotional, and psychological support must be provided to victims in order to enable them to experience a full recovery from these events.

References

Capaldi, D.M., Knoble, N.B., Shortt, J.W., & Kim, H.K. (2012). A systematic review of risk factors for intimate partner violence. Partner Abuse, 3(2), 231-280.

Devries, K.M., Mak, JYT, Garcia-Moreno, C., Petzold, M., Child, J.C., Falder, G., Lim, S., Bacchus, L.J., Engell, R.E., Rosenfeld, L., Pallitto, C., Vos, T., Abrahams, N., & Watts, C.H. (2013). The global prevalence of intimate partner violence against women. Science,          340, 1527-1528.

Ellsberg, M., & Emmelin, M. (2014). Intimate partner violence and mental health. Global Health Action, retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4165041/

Moyer, V.A. (2013). Screening for intimate partner violence and abuse of elderly and vulnerable adults: U.S. preventive services task force recommendation statement. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(6), 478-486.

Taft, A., O’Doherty, L., Hegarty, K., Ramsay, J., Davidson, L., & Feder, G. (2013). Screening women for intimate partner violence in healthcare settings. Cochrane Library, retrieved from http://www.cochrane.org/CD007007/BEHAV_screening-women-for-intimate-partner-violence-in-healthcare-settings