Intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence is harm done by a current or former spouse or romantic partner. The violence may be physical violence, sexual violence, psychological harm, or stalking meant to exert control over the victim. It often includes other misuses of power, such as economic control or threats of revealing information about the victim, such as immigration status. Intimate partner violence occurs in heterosexual and LGBTQ relationships. Studies have found that such violence increases when individuals and households are under increased stress, such as when a job loss affects income. The damage goes well beyond the harm experienced by the survivor—studies show children in these households often witness the violence. While in modern times, intimate partner violence is illegal in most cases, some US states treat spousal rape as different from other types of rape, and individuals in some relationships find authorities less interested in investigating and prosecuting the abuse.