Intimate Partner Violence Against Disabled Persons: Clinical and Health Impact, Intersections, Issues and Intervention Strategies

One of the crimes currently affecting our society is intimate partner violence (IPV), which is regarded as a major global health issue especially affecting women. These health problems concern every citizen, but even more so for women with disabilities who are more exposed to dependence, prejudice and marginalisation. Although a greater focus has been placed on IPV against women with disabilities during the last decade, data about the incidence of violence still need to be confirmed and the way by which abuse situations are perpetuated has not been clarified, especially regarding what the practical aid for women living in this situation might be. This work highlights the clinical impact of the IPV phenomenon on women with disabilities, describes the difficulties experienced while dealing with this phenomenon and suggests the most appropriate intervention strategies. Our work found that people with disabilities are at a higher risk of facing IPV when compared to individuals without disabilities. The results unquestionably show that such acts of violence are often not even reported, partly because of sentimental, emotional and economic reasons. Finally, we point out policies and initiatives aimed at helping people with disabilities tackle the phenomenon.