In the United States alone, an average of 20 people per minute are physically abused (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.). This is a frightening statistic and what is even more frightening about it is the fact that it is one hundred percent preventable. Intimate Partner Violence can be defined as physical, sexual, or psychological harm caused by a current or former partner/spouse. It is important to note that Intimate Partner Violence can happen in both men and women; however, it is more prevalent in women. It is very difficult to determine the presence of Intimate Partner Violence because several of the victims choose to remain silent about their attacks. Women may remain silent for many different reasons, but one of the main …show more content…
Specifically, AWHONN backs the requirement for universal screening of Intimate Partner Violence for all women “regardless of their age, reason for seeking medical care, health status, or history of IPV” (The Association of Women 's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, 2015, p. 405).However, many people believe that victims of Intimate Partner Violence are capable to adequately determine whether or not they are in danger of further violence, therefore, they can establish their own decision on their future relationship with their …show more content…
As mentioned before, mandated reporting has been shown to actually make women feel less safe. Confidentiality issues arise with mandatory reporting and may cause turmoil in the patient/health care provider relationship. Victims of Intimate Partner Violence may be reluctant to pursue medical support in emergency situations for this reason and many others. Other reasons that victims of Intimate Partner Violence may be reluctant to pursue medical attention may include that the victim may truly believe that he/she can handle the situation on their own, or the victim may also fear disciplinary abuse when the abuser learns that the abuse was reported. There are currently no laws that one-hundred-percent guarantee the safety of a victim of Intimate Partner Violence (The Association of Women 's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, 2015, p. 407). Keeping that in mind, it is evident why victims remain silent about their