Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate Partner Violence or also referred to as domestic violence is a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviors that some individuals use against their intimate partners or former partners. Women and men can be affected. It crosses all socio-economic groups, races, religions and types of relationships. Abuse can range from emotional battering to physical attacks. Most abuse begins with small problems that lead to more frequent and serious attacks. Intimate Partner Violence is a social problem that is rooted in social values where the importance on people having power over others is emphasized. Violence against women and other groups occur without punishment.
Intimate Partner Violence is one of society's best kept secrets. The usual victims are women and children. Children are victimized not only when battered, but when they observe battering. Children who witness incidents of abuse, or who are abused themselves, are most likely to become involved in violent relationships as adults, either as batterers or victims.
Victims of abuse often suffer from loss of identity and self-worth as well as feelings of helplessness.
Abuse is not caused by using drugs or alcohol, mental illness, being "provoked," stress, or poor anger control--batterers choose to be abusive and with whom they are abusive.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists intimate partner violence as a public health epidemic in the United States. In California, there are an average of 624 incidents of domestic violence reported every day.
Abused women are found in all age groups, races, religions, and educational and income levels. National statistics indicate that 50% of all women in this country experience some form of violence in their intimate relationships.
Intimate Partner Violence doesn't just happen in big cities. In a typical year, Wild Iris responds to more than 500 victims of domestic violence and their children.
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