Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care: Orienting Intimate Partner Violence Interventions to Equity

AbstractPurposeof ReviewIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex traumatic experience that often co-occurs, or is causally linked, with other forms of structural violence and oppression. However, few IPV interventions integrate this social-ecological perspective. We examine trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) in the context of existing IPV interventions as an explicitly equity-oriented approach to IPV prevention and response.Recent FindingsSystematic reviews of IPV interventions along the public health prevention spectrum show mixed findings, with those with a theoretically grounded, structural approach that integrates a trauma lens more likely to show benefit.SummaryTVIC, embedded in survivor-centered protocols with an explicit theory of change, is emerging as an equity-promoting approach underpinning IPV intervention. Explicit attention to structural violence and the complexity of IPV, systems and sites of intervention, and survivors ’ diverse and intersectional lived experiences has significant potential to transform policy and practice.
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research