Intimate Partner Violence

What is Intimate Partner Violence?

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) or Intimate Partner Abuse is a type of domestic violence. IPV is where the person who is causing harm is an intimate partner such as a spouse or dating partner. It can also be someone you are no longer married or dating.
 
IPV is a pattern of behavior used by one partner to maintain power and control over another in their relationship.
 
IPV that occurs in relationships of teenagers is called Teen Dating Violence and often has the same types of abuse that occurs in adult relationships.
 
Intimate Partner Violence affects people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, race, ethnicities, ages, physical abilities and beliefs.
There are many forms that abuse can take:

Physical abuse can take the shape of kicking, punching, shoving, slapping, and any other acts that can hurt someone’s body.

Physical abuse can also be Destructive acts. These are acts when someone physically damages things or pets around a person in order to scare or threaten them. Acts can include, punching walls, breaking windows, damaging vehicles, destroying important documents, and harming pets.

Criticizing body parts or sexuality, forced or pressured sexual acts, including rape, transmitting STD’s, openly discussing affairs or sex with other people.

Emotional abuse is a consistent pattern of hurtful words, bullying, and other behaviors that wear down a person’s self-esteem and harm their mental health.  Types of emotional abuse are but not limited to gaslighting, isolation, name calling, shaming or blaming, silent treatments, making little of a person’s concerns, withholding affection and attention.

Verbal abuse can be but not limited to name calling, including vulgar names and terms, put downs, and threats. Verbal abuse also includes manipulations and blame.

Mental abuse is when someone makes a person feel like they are going crazy by convincing them that they are not normal, they are overreacting, or seeing behavior that is not there.

Spiritual abuse is when someone either belittles or devalues a person’s spiritual belief or uses their spiritual beliefs against them. Also includes being prevented from practicing beliefs or using spiritual beliefs as a basis for other abuses on this page.

Financial abuse is controlling and manipulating someone by withholding and monitoring money, reinforcing financial dependence by not allowing a person to get a job or higher education, threatening to take away basic needs such as food, clothing, housing or spending income on drugs/alcohol/gambling or other unimportant things when bills are due or basic needs are not met.

Immigration abuse is when someone uses a person immigration status to control them through fear. Threatening deportation or threatening to report them to immigration authorities if the person leaves, or withholding important immigration documents to control them.

Homophobic abuse is when a partner, typically in a LGBTQIA relationship threatens to out a person to someone who has not revealed their sexual orientation or identity to someone, or refusing to identify a person using their pronouns or recognizing their gender identity. Can also include referring to someone as an “It” or ridiculing their transgender partner by telling them they are not a real man or women, or ridiculing their partner’s identity by intentionally mislabeling/misidentifying them.

Are you being affected by Intimate Partner Violence?

If you or someone you know is being harmed by their partner or ex-partner, we can help.

Call our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline today to see what options are available.

Why Purple?

Purple is the color of the Awareness Ribbon for Intimate Partner Violence.

Did you know that October is National Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month? 

Did you know that Teen Dating Violence has its own awareness month and color? Orange is the color of the awareness ribbon and the awareness month is in February.

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