DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Course overview

Domestic violence is the term that was traditionally used to describe violence that occurred between a husband and wife, and it was typically perceived as men physically assaulting women. But inter-personal violence that happens in the context of relationships is far more complex. It occurs in many age groups, in same-sex couples, between people of greatly different ages, in unmarried couples, in couples who are not sexually intimate, and it takes many different forms aside from physical violence. Intimate partner violence is the term that has replaced domestic violence, and the definition of intimate partner violence is better suited for describing these varied and complex situations. The definition of intimate partner violence is broad. This is not intended as a criticism, but it is pointed out to underscore the fact that intimate partner violence can take many forms. This module will discuss intimate partner violence and two other forms of interpersonal violence, elder abuse, and child abuse. All three are quite common in the United States, and all are underreported. The exact incidence of these social traumas is not known, but there is ample evidence that clearly indicates they are widespread as outlined below.