Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) includes act of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse or aggression in a romantic and/or sexual relationship (1), as well as financial abuse (2). In the United States, Black women are disproportionately at risk for IPV, with a recent study indicating that 54% of Black women will experience some type of physical or sexual IPV throughout their lifetime (3). People experiencing IPV are also at risk for mood, anxiety, and substance disorders, as well as suicidal tendencies (4).
It can be difficult for people experiencing IPV to realize that the relationship they’re in is an abusive one. As such, we have created a few helpful guides about tactics people who use violence use, the cycle of abuse within relationships, and some hallmarks of a healthy relationship, as well as resources that can help you safely navigate these relationships or provide you more information on IPV in the Black community.
Find Help and Support
- Maryland Clinics with SAFE Programs – Clinics with SAFE Programs provide free medical care, HIV exposure consultations, and evidence collection after an assault
- Maryland Rape Crisis and Recovery Centers – List of centers that provide crisis intervention, therapy, legal assistance, and accompaniment to hospitals, police interviews, and court appearances
- Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center Legal Representation – Provides direct legal representation during criminal court proceedings
- House of Ruth Maryland – Provides emergency shelter, case managers, counseling, and legal services to victims of domestic violence
- Turnaround, Inc. – Provides case management, trauma therapy, emergency shelter, and legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking
- Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County – Provides shelter, housing, counseling services, and crisis intervention
- Filing Protective and Peace Orders – Provides eligibility list for filing protective orders and peace orders, as well as the forms needed
Emergency Hotlines
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Visit www.thehotline.org
- Call 800-799-7233
- National Sexual Assault Hotline
- Visit www/rainn.org/resources
- Call 800-656-4673
- Baltimore County Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Hotline
- Call 410-828-6390
To Learn More About IPV
Videos and Podcasts
- Black Femicide and Intimate Partner Violence: A History by Intelexual Media
- Addresses the structural, cultural, and situational layers of historical and modern IPV, as well as other topics such as misogynoir, slavery, welfare, and reproductive coercion
- Black Women and Intimate Partner Violence by Therapy for Black Girls
- Discusses the role race plays in navigating intimate partner violence, the idea of the perfect victim, and suggestions for supporting women in your life who may be experiencing IPV
Books
- Battle Cries: Black Women and Intimate Partner Abuse by Hillary Potter
- Examines Black women’s experiences with IPV, as well as the strategies they use to withstand the abuse and the consequences from the maltreatment
- The Black Woman’s Guide to Overcoming Domestic Violence: Tools to Move Beyond Trauma, Reclaim Freedom, and Create the Life You Deserve by Shavonne J. Moore Lobban and Robyn L. Gobin
- Addresses the unique struggles of Black women experiencing IPV and provides empowering skills to aid in the healing process
M.O.C.H.A. Lab 