Intimate partner violence against women: A Public Health perspective

Intimate partner violence (IPV), an intentional use of physical force or power against a partner, is the most common form of violence against women, and frequently results in injuries, death, psychological harm and disability.In Spain, mortality due to IPV is fairly stable, but around 15% of women visited by family doctors and 10% of those aged 18 or above, have experienced some form of IPV within the previous year. Being immigrant, older, separated or divorced, with low education or incomes, and low social support are associated with a history of IPV IPV is the result of a multitude of individual, interpersonal, community and social determining factors. Interventions for problem drinkers, school-based programmes to address gender norms and attitudes, and social support programmes are effective strategies to prevent IPV.The Public Health sector may have a valuable role by actively collaborating in the prevention and control of intimate partner violence © 2010 Asociación Nacional de Médicos Forenses. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.