Intimate Partner Violence: Treatment Considerations

Target audience and instructional level of this course: foundational

There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.

Course Description

Improve your knowledge of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and improve your practice with this course. IPV, also referred to as spousal abuse, describes any behavior within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm (World Health Organization, 2018). It includes acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviors. IPV therefore falls under the broader category of ‘domestic violence’, an all-encompassing term that may also refer to the abuse of children, elders, or any other family member within a household. While both males and females can be victims of IPV, women still remain more likely to be injured by partner violence than men (Whitaker et al, 2007). This course reviews the current treatments from three perspectives: that of the victim, the perpetrator and the couple who wish to remain together. Emphasis is made on the need for assessment of risk factors that might indicate a potentially lethal relationship and the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of comorbidity such as alcohol and drug use.

Learning Objectives

After completing this training the professional will:

• identify definitions and prevalence of IPV.
• describe factors that may be associated with IPV.
• summarize effectiveness evidence regarding the treatment of victims and perpetrators of IPV.
• identify clinical guidelines for working with victims and perpetrators of IPV.

Alison Heru, M.D.
Associate Professor
University of Colorado at Denver

Keith C Klostermann, Ph.D.
RTI International

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