Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence or domestic abuse, is a pattern of behavior in which one partner in a romantic relationship or marriage exerts power and control over the other partner. Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.
Domestic violence is a major public health problem. According to the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
