Fact Sheet 2012

How does IPV affect health?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs between two 

people in a close relationship. The term “intimate 

partner” includes current and former spouses and dating 

partners. IPV exists along a continuum from a single 

episode of violence to ongoing battering. 

IPV includes four types of behavior:

•	 Physical violence is when a person hurts or tries to 

hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, or other type of 

physical force.

•	 Sexual violence is forcing a partner to take part in a 

sex act when the partner does not consent. 

•	 Threats of physical or sexual violence include the

use of words, gestures, weapons, or other means to 

communicate the intent to cause harm.

•	 Emotional abuse is threatening a partner or his or 

her possessions or loved ones, or harming a partner’s 

sense of self-worth. Examples are stalking, namecalling, intimidation, or not letting a partner see friends 

and family. 

Often, IPV starts with emotional abuse. This behavior can 

progress to physical or sexual assault. Several types of 

IPV may occur together.

IPV can affect health in many ways. The longer the 

violence goes on, the more serious the effects.

Many victims suffer physical injuries. Some are minor 

like cuts, scratches, bruises, and welts. Others are more 

serious and can cause death or disabilities. These include 

broken bones, internal bleeding, and head trauma.

Not all injuries are physical. IPV can also cause emotional 

harm. Victims may have trauma symptoms. This includes 

flashbacks, panic attacks, and trouble sleeping. Victims 

often have low self-esteem. They may have a hard time 

trusting others and being in relationships. The anger and 

stress that victims feel may lead to eating disorders and 

depression. Some victims even think about or commit 

suicide. 

IPV is linked to harmful health behaviors as well. Victims 

may try to cope with their trauma in unhealthy ways. This 

includes smoking, drinking, taking drugs, or having risky 

sex. Why is IPV a public health 

problem?

IPV is a serious problem in the United States:

• Nearly 3 in 10 women and 1 in 10 men in the US have 

experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by 

a partner with IPV-related impact.1

• IPV resulted in 2,340 deaths in 2007. Of these deaths, 

70% were females and 30% were males.2 

• The medical care, mental health services, and lost 

productivity (e.g., time away from work) cost of IPV 

was an estimated $5.8 billion in 1995. Updated to 2003 

dollars, that’s more than $8.3 billion.3,4

Who is at risk for IPV?

Several factors can increase the risk that someone will 

hurt his or her partner. However, having these risk factors 

does not always mean that IPV will occur.

Risk factors for perpetration (hurting a partner):

• Being violent or aggressive in the past

• Seeing or being a victim of violence as a child

• Using drugs or alcohol, especially drinking heavily

• Not having a job or other life events that cause stress

Note: These are just some risk factors. To learn more, go to 

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention. 

These numbers underestimate the problem. Many victims 

do not report IPV to police, friends, or family.1

 Victims 

may think others will not believe them or that the police 

cannot help.1

 

Understanding Intimate Partner Violence

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 

Division of Violence Prevention
How can we prevent IPV?

How does CDC approach 

IPV prevention?

Where can I learn more?

The goal is to stop IPV before it begins. There is a lot to 

learn about how to prevent IPV. We do know that strategies that promote healthy behaviors in relationships are 

important. Programs that teach young people skills for 

dating can prevent violence. These programs can stop 

violence in dating relationships before it occurs.

We know less about how to prevent IPV in adults. However, some programs that teach healthy relationship 

skills seem to help stop violence before it ever starts.

CDC Facebook Page on Violence Prevention

www.facebook.com/vetoviolence

National Domestic Violence Hotline 

1-800-799-SAFE (7233), 1-800-787-3224 TTY, or 

www.ndvh.org

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

www.ncadv.org

National Sexual Violence Resource Center

www.nsvrc.org

Family Violence Prevention Fund

www.endabuse.org

CDC uses a 4-step approach to address public health 

problems like IPV.

Step 1: Define the problem

Before we can prevent IPV, we need to know how big the 

problem is, where it is, and whom it affects. CDC learns 

about a problem by gathering and studying data. These 

data are critical because they help decision makers use 

resources where needed most.

Step 2: Identify risk and protective factors

It is not enough to know that IPV affects certain people 

in a certain area. We also need to know why. CDC 

conducts and supports research to answer this question. 

We can then develop programs to reduce or get rid of 

risk factors.

Step 3: Develop and test prevention strategies

Using information gathered in research, CDC develops 

and evaluates strategies to prevent IPV.

Step 4: Assure widespread adoption

In this final step, CDC shares the best prevention 

strategies. CDC may also provide funding or technical 

help so communities can adopt these strategies.

For a list of CDC activities, see Preventing Intimate Partner 

and Sexual Violence: Program Activities Guide (www.cdc.

gov/violenceprevention/pub/ipv_sv_guide.html).

References

1. Black MC, Basile KC, Breiding MJ, Smith SG, Walters 

ML, Merrick MT, Chen J, Stevens MR. The National 

Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 

2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center 

for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention; 2011.

2. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

Intimate partner violence [online]. [cited 2011 Jan 

07]. Available from URL: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/

index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=971#summary. 

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Costs of intimate partner violence against women in 

the United States. Atlanta (GA): CDC, National Center 

for Injury Prevention and Control; 2003. [cited 2006 

May 22]. Available from: URL: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/

pub-res/ipv_cost/ipv.htm.

4. Max W, Rice DP, Finkelstein E, Bardwell RA, Leadbetter 

S. The economic toll of intimate partner violence 

against women in the United States. Violence and 

Victims 2004;19(3):259–72.

1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) • cdcinfo@cdc.gov • www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention

Understanding Intimate Partner Violence