Date:
Originally presented January 31, 2013
This webinar is based on Our extensive web course on this issue
Summary of the Webinar
Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse (IPSA) as an aspect of domestic violence cases is little discussed. Research with battered women reveals that IPSA ranging from verbal degradation to rape is a frequent aspect of domestic violence, with significant implications for advocates, law enforcement, batterer intervention programs, and the courts, particularly with respect to risk assessment. Taking all risk factors into account, a batterer who subjects his partner to forced sex in addition to physical violence is twice as likely to kill her as a batterer who inflicts physical violence only.
IPSA victims require additional support and services to maintain personal safety and the safety of their children, and to recover from the trauma. Yet all too often IPSA victims face barriers to disclosing, and advocates, law enforcement, attorneys, and judges to whom victims do disclose are not prepared to respond to this information.
This webinar addresses the prevalence of IPSA in domestic violence cases, the importance of knowing about and understanding IPSA for risk assessment, strategies to encourage victim disclosure, and recommendations for addressing IPSA in cases where domestic violence is the primary allegation.
Presenter: Lynn Hecht Schafran—Director of the National Judicial Education Program (NJEP) and co-author of NJEP’s Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse web course.
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- National Judicial Education Program
- Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse