Context and terminology
Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to violence and abuse perpetuated against current or former partners. This term includes violence experienced in the context of relationships that range from dating to marriage. It is important to recognize that IPV occurs within both heterosexual and LGBTQ2S+ relationships, and that anyone, regardless of their gender and sexual identities, can be the survivor or the perpetrator of abuse in intimate partner relationships as IPV is fundamentally about power and control.
Along the axis of gender, however, it is difficult to ignore the ways that power differences result in women being disproportionately impacted by intimate partner violence. In Canada, 79% of police reported intimate partner violence is against women. IPV is also consistently identified as one of the most common forms of violence against women (VAW).
In this guide and the course, the terms "intimate partner violence" and "violence against women" are both used in order to recognize the causes and dynamics of intimate partner violence as well as the importance of applying a gender-based lens.
Understanding intimate partner violence and violence against women
- S4-Episode 5: Addressing intimate partner violence: Information sharing, trust, and privacy [2024]Podcast episode about information sharing, building trusting relationships with victims and survivors, and taking a collaborative, trauma informed approach to combatting IPV.
- #CallItFemicide: Understanding gender-related killings of women and girls in Canada 2019 [2019]Annual report by the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability presenting an analysis of the circumstances and motivations surrounding Canadian women's violent deaths for the year
- Intimate partner violence: An overview [2017]Resource from the Social Work Reference Center (note: you have to be authenticated by OACAS’s library databases to access)
- Intimate partner violence: Understanding and addressing violence against women [2012]Information sheet from the World Health Organization
- The Power and Control WheelThis illustration was developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP). It shows the pattern of actions and sets of behaviours that an individual uses to intentionally control or dominate an intimate partner
- Understanding the Power and Control WheelSeries of videos that explain the Power and Control Wheel. Videos include "Using Isolation," "Using Economic Abuse" and "Using Coercion and Threats"
Understanding women who use violence
- Why do women use force or violence in intimate partner relationships?Information sheet from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- Intimate partner violence: Women abusing men [2018]Quick lesson from the Social Work Reference Center. Note: you have to be authenticated by OACAS’s library databases to access
- Issue 20: Links between the maltreatment of girls & later victimization or use of violence [2017]Newsletter from the Learning Network exploring the link between the victimization of girls and women and the use of violence by girls and women