Addressing Intimate Partner Violence – Introduction

Futures Without Violence (Futures), formerly the Family Violence Prevention Fund, is a leading advocate for addressing intimate partner violence (IPV)—also referred to as domestic violence in the healthcare setting. Futures produces numerous data-informed publications, programs, and resources to promote routine assessment and effective responses by healthcare providers.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (the College), a national medical organization representing over 56,000 members who provide health care for women, is dedicated to the advancement of women’s health through continuing medical education, practice, research and advocacy. The College was the first national medical organization to formally recognize the problem of domestic violence over 25 years ago and continues to address this problem through its Guidelines for Women’s Health Care, Guidelines for Perinatal Care, Committee Opinions, and slide lecture kits. Its most recent opinion on intimate partner violence was published in February 2012 (See Appendix C for Committee Opinion).

This new resource, Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Reproductive and Sexual Coercion, co-branded by the College, focuses on the crucial role of the health care provider in identifying and addressing IPV and reproductive coercion.

Background

Over the past two decades, a growing body of research has recognized the connection between relationship violence and poor reproductive health care outcomes for women. More hidden and often undetected forms of victimization involving coercive behaviors that interfere with reproductive health have emerged from this research. Health care visits provide a window of opportunity to address IPV and coercive behaviors related to patients’ reproductive health. The goal of this resource is to reframe the way in which health care systems respond to IPV and reproductive and sexual coercion. The health care provider is the hub of a wheel in a trauma-informed, coordinated health care response that includes universal education and prevention. This guide highlights research that demonstrates how a brief intervention using a safety card to educate female patients about reproductive and sexual coercion can improve reproductive health outcomes and promote healthy, safe, and consensual relationships. Safety cards and other resources for integrating and sustaining a trauma-informed, coordinated response to IPV and reproductive and sexual coercion are included in this publication.