This paper is set to table a review of Intimate partner violence (IPV), a topic of discussion that has triggered attention of many people in the fields of social work, law enforcement, and mental health. This paper will define and give an overview of intimate partner violence. The paper shall move further to discuss the array of reasons which bar women from walking out of intimidating relationships. This paper will also expound on how intimate partner violence differs from domestic violence before finally talking about IPV prevalence, tabling answers on where and when the rain started beating us.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Intimate Partner Violence refers to a physical or psychological tussle between intimate partners normally characterized by abuse. Abuse in intimae partner violence may occur in same sex partners or at times abuse is triggered by women towards men, however, the most common cases of this violence see women on the receiving end of abuse. Intimate partner violence may occur in a variety of forms which include physical violence, psychological abuse like insults, sexual abuse through rape and controlling behaviors where victims are forcefully denied freedom to interact with friends and even families(Breiding, Basile, & Smith, 2015).
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One reason why women do not walk out of violence relationships is because they seek to protect their children and family. Such women stay in violent relationships to avoid court cases that may eventually make them lose custody of their children; they therefore choose to endure a humiliating partner until that time when they feel pushed to the extreme. Other women continue their stay with violent partners in great hope that their partners will change and therefore making it a last resort to walk out. These women tend to fall for apologies from their partners preceded by abuse and forgive them on the promise that it will never happen again only to see a repetition of abuse. Some women also fail to walk out of abusive relationships in fear of retaliation from their violent partners, they exude fear that their partners will never let them go and may instead abuse them further. Other women lack an alternative source of livelihood and therefore would not go anywhere because they have no means to economically support themselves.
Similarities and Difference between IPV and Domestic Violence
The two are similar in the sense that both domestic violence and intimate partner violence involve physical, sexual or psychological abuse. They involve physical beatings, emotional bullying, coercion into sexual activities, and isolation from members of the family and friends as well as absolute control over another. In both cases of domestic violence and IPV, victims and abusers are related and probably live in the same house. In both cases, victims rarely report instances of abuse to the authority. Domestic violence however differs from intimate partner violence the former on one hand involves violence or abuse among partners in an intimate relationship; may be married couples or lovers. Domestic violence on another hand is a form of violence and may occur between family members not intimately related such as father and daughter or mother son.
IPV Prevalence
Intimate partner violence has become so common with data from most researchers putting it at over 40% of relationships and marriages (Breiding, Basile, & Smith, 2015). Based on the film, one can say without doubt that intimate partner violence become prevalent day by day as a result of women who refuse to talk out or report cases of abuse from their partners (Steiner, 2012) . IPV has also thrived due to the existing disparity in income between men and women. Low level of income earned by women make them vulnerable for abuse and subsequent failure by them to walk out of those humiliating relationships.
Intimate Partner Violence prevalence can also be blamed on cultures that put men ahead of women as well as normalize women battering. In such cultures, women tend to accept beating and all forms abuse just because it is normal. According to Lundgren and Amin (2015), low levels of education among women has also made IPV become common. Women in relationships with more educated men tend to feel inferior to them and will therefore accept the abuse.
The Film on IPV
One can notably agree with a number of aspects in the film about intimate partner violence which includes the following. Firstly, Holding batterers and abusers accountable for their actions is a good step towards eradicating the menace of IPV. Collaboration among social workers, the police and medical practitioners is essential in rescuing abuse victims from cruel hands of their partners. It is also worth noting and agreeing with that getting out of an abusive relationship is not a step that one would just take overnight, the victim thinks wide to seek the decision as a last solution (Steiner, 2012) .
Conclusion
I used to think that failure by victims to share their stories is one of the main hurdles in the fight against domestic and intimate partner violence. I have asked myself why women never walked out anytime I heard an emotional story of sexual and physical abuse on a married woman. I have always thought that the decision to quit was as simple as it sounds. The expert analysis and the stories said by victims in the film confirm that the journey is long; so many things may lock a woman from a relationship where she is constantly abused. Rescuing victims of intimate partner violence is a task that must involve an entire society starting from the victim, the government, social service organizations, hospitals and family.
References
Breiding, M., Basile, K. C., Smith, S. G., Black, M. C., & Mahendra, R. R. (2015). Intimate partner violence surveillance: uniform definitions and recommended data elements. Version 2.0.
Lundgren, R., & Amin, A. (2015). Addressing intimate partner violence and sexual violence among adolescents: emerging evidence of effectiveness. Journal of Adolescent Health , 56(1), S42-S50.
Steiner, L. M. (Director). (2012). Why Domestic Violence Victims do Not Leave [Motion Picture].
