Cincinnati VA Medical Center
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Assistance Program
ADDRESSING IPV AND BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
The VA’s IPVAP is committed to helping Veterans, their partners and also VA staff who are impacted by IPV. If you or someone you know could be experiencing and/or using IPV – confidential help is available.
Intimate Partner Violence: Let VA Help.
IPV, which is often called domestic violence, occurs when a current or former intimate partner (e.g., boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse) harms, threatens to harm, or stalks their partner. While domestic violence does include IPV, it refers to any violence that occurs in the home. Domestic violence includes child abuse, elder abuse, and other forms of interpersonal abuse. IPV refers specifically to violence between intimate partners. IPV can happen to anyone. It can happen no matter your age, income, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, or disability.
What is IPV?
Emotional-IPV is when a person tries to hurt his/her partner’s self-worth. It is common for emotional IPV to begin before other types of IPV.
Sexual-IPV occurs when a person forces or tries to convince his/her partner to engage in sexual activities when the other partner does not want to or is unable to consent.
Stalking occurs when a person frequently or continuously contacts, follows, talks to, or sends things to his/her partner when the other partner does not want them to do these things.
Physical-IPV is when a person tries to hurt his/her partner by using physical force.
Threats of violence are ways to cause fear through words, actions, or weapons to harm the partner, their possessions, their pets, or their loved ones.
It’s not always easy to tell if a relationship is unhealthy or abusive.
Watch out for these red flags:
- Telling you that you can never do anything right
- Preventing you from making your own decisions
- Showing jealousy or keeping you from seeing friends and family
- Insulting, demeaning or shaming you with put-downs
- Controlling every penny spent in the household
- Looking at you or acting in ways that scare you
- Controlling who you see, where you go, or what you do
- Preventing you from working or attending school
Services for Veterans experiencing unhealthy or abusive relationships:
- Counseling and support including couples counseling and groups
- Assistance with goal setting and safety planning
- Referral to emergency shelter and other housing options
- Community-based agencies for legal assistance, advocacy, support groups
- Information about services and benefits available to you
If you are in a violent relationship and in need of immediate help, contact the Veterans’ Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255, Press 1 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
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