Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and preventable public health problem that affects millions of Americans. The term “domestic violence” describes physical assault, sexual coercion, and psychological harm aimed at gaining or maintaining control by a current or former partner or spouse. It affects all cultures, religions, socio-economic statuses and ethnic origins; it can take place in a public or private setting. Women are the most targeted victims of domestic violence; one in four women will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime. But this type of violence can occur within heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not require sexual intimacy. Domestic violence is also identified as domestic violence or battery. a.**TYPES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE**Types of violence may include physical violence such as: hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, choking, biting, burning, using objects or weapons . , confinement or confinement, deprivation of food or income and restriction of mobility or access to necessities. Acts of sexual violence may include forcing a partner to perform sexual acts, forcing them into prostitution, or interfering with birth control. Criticism, name-calling, decision-making, and mind games are some of the signs of the many forms of emotional abuse. Financial abuse may involve putting the partner in debt or denying them access to money. Threatening the victim with objects or verbally threatening to hurt them or take something away is also a form of violence. There are several ways an abuser can manipulate their victim to gain and maintain control.b. **DEMOGRAPHIC** Ethnicity also plays a big role in domestic violence, the United States alone is an extremely diverse country, so this can be...... middle of paper..... . as has been done with the implementation of intervention for those who are already victims of IPV, as well as prevention and education services distributed throughout the region to make women aware of the red flags when they do. become victims. Works Cited http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/definitions.htmlSaltzman LE, Fanslow JL, McMahon PM, Shelley GA. Domestic Violence Surveillance: Uniform Definitions and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1.0 http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/definitions.html http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/definitions.htmlTjaden , Patricia & Thoennes, Nancy. National Institute of Justice and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Extent, Nature and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Results from the National Violence Against Women Survey »,” (2000)