The words “violence” and “abuse” are often misunderstood to refer to physical events only. Students should be aware of and alert for warning signs of IPV in their own relationships and the interactions of those around them.
It is important to understand that IPV is a result of one partner intentionally exerting control and power over the other partner. Intimate partner violence can be inflicted by a current or former intimate partner, such as a spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend or dating partner and may include any of the following: physical, sexual or psychological aggression or abuse (Breiding et al., 2015). The victim and abuser do not need to live under the same roof. Relatives, close friends and roommates can also be considered intimate partners—intimate in this sense is anyone who knows the victim’s inner person well. Who knows your likes, dislikes, dreams, goals and fears nearly as well as you do? Those are your intimate partners.