Physical and Sexual Abuse of an Intimate Partner

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Physical & Sexual Abuse of an Intimate Partner: Similarities and Differences

Marquia S. Caldwell

July 21, 2015

Marriage & Family COUN: 5540

Dr. Fleming

Physical & Sexual Abuse of an Intimate Partner:

Similarities and Differences

Every year in America, between 1.5 and 3.6 million women are raped or physically assaulted by an intimate partner. With multiple assaults per individual, this adds up to approximately 4 to 6 million intimate partner physical and sexual assaults every year, and many more that go unreported” (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000; as cited by Matthews, 2004).

“Intimate partner abuse is a major problem facing the United States families, society, and future, and one that has also played a critical role in gender role formations and the socialization of American citizens. Studies report that between two to four million women in the United States are physically battered annually by their partners and that 25–30% of all United States women are at risk of experiencing intimate partner abuse in their lifetimes” (Peterman and Dixon 2003; as cited by Brown, 2008).

`Physical and sexual aggression within intimate relationships have been looked over in research over the past few decades. “Intimate partner abuse has been legally defined as ‘any assault, battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another who is or was residing in the same dwelling” (Title XLIII, Chapter 741,Statute 741.28). The abuse of an intimate partner can come in a number of forms and in many different combinations. Some of these forms are; emotional/verbal, physical abuse, financial dependency, social isolation, sexual abuse, minimizing/denying, coercion/threats/intimidation, and murder. Many studies have “confirmed that IPV is widespread in all countries; among women who had ever been...