Intimate Partner Violence

Primary trauma affects service members and Veterans while secondary trauma influences family members who been living with a highly stressed traumatized individual who experiences fears, anxieties, and mood swings. Consequently, family members also express disruption in the neurobiological pendulum of hyper arousal and hypo arousal, creating an incendiary environment characterized by erratic moods, irritability, and rage storms. A sense of powerlessness and anger are often enacted through behavior as well.

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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant problem within the military and among veterans. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, military service has unique psychological, social, and environmental factors that may contribute to elevated risk of IPV among active-duty service members and Veterans. Multiple deployments, family separation and reintegration, demanding workloads at home and while on duty, histories of head trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse can contribute to partner conflict and elevated risk of IPV among active-duty service members, Veterans, and their intimate partners.

 

For additional information, visit https://www.socialwork.va.gov/IPV/Index.asp