Citation

Usher K, Jackson D. Int. J. Ment. Health Nurs. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc., Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/inm.13058

PMID

36029473

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a persistent global public health issue that affects millions of people. Though men can be affected, IPV disproportionately affects women. IPV is the type of violence that usually occurs at home, behind closed doors and the element of privacy places targets at high risk. Women are particularly vulnerable to violence from their partner during pregnancy and in the post-partum period (Sánchez et al. 2022), and younger women are even more so (Woollett et al. 2022). Women often find it difficult to leave relationships despite the abuse, because of a range of factors such as financial dependence, a wish to keep the family together, coercion and control by the offender, fear, isolation, social and family pressure and low self-esteem (Lacanaria & David 2018). In addition to isolation and lack of support to leave, there can also be strong and persistent feelings of love and care for the partner, who may not always be abusive (Wilson et al. 2019).

The most alarming and violent form of IPV is intimate partner homicide (IPH). While homicide victims are more likely to be male, women are most likely to be murdered by someone they know, most likely a current or previous intimate partner (Elisha et al. 2010). In Australia, it seems rarely a week goes by that there is no news of the death of a woman at the hands of a current or former partner. In fact, intimate partner homicide (IPH) is the most common homicide in Australia, with IPV-related homicide accounting for 21% of all homicides in 2018-2019 (Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network, & Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety 2022). These events happen across all sectors of society, because a spousal killer may be of any age, social class, educational level, or origin. They may never have used violence against a partner previously and may not have had any previous experience with welfare authorities (Aldarondo & Mederos 2002)...

Language: en