The resources in this section offer information on how domestic violence affects the health of the adult victim and their children, how it impacts parenting and a community's economic and cultural well-being, and strategies for responding to these effects.
Impact on Victims
Current Evidence: Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma-Related Mental Health Conditions & Chronic Illness (PDF - 355 KB)
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (2014)
Examines the physical and mental health consequences of intimate partner violence. This resource discusses the increased likelihood that survivors develop depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance use, and other chronic health conditions.
Effects of Domestic Violence
Joyful Heart Foundation
Explains the physical and mental health effects caused by exposure to intimate partner violence.
Psychological Distress and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: The Role of Maternal Satisfaction, Parenting Stress, and Social Support Among Mothers and Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence (PDF - 392 KB)
Pinto, Correia-Santos, Levendosky, & Jongenelen (2016)
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1(23)
Researches the connection between maternal perceptions of parenting ability after experiences of intimate partner violence.
Trauma, Mental Health and Domestic Violence
Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Discusses the likelihood of victims of domestic violence developing mental health issues and the affect that these issues can have on socioeconomic status and family relationships. This resource also provides additional resources about domestic violence and its relation to trauma.
Women Who Petition for Restraining Orders Against Abusers Typically See Decreased Earnings
American Sociological Association (2015)
Explains the economic cost of leaving and filing a restraining order, which may make it more difficult for women to leave abusive relationships.
Impact on the Community
Community Costs of Domestic Violence
The Advocates for Human Rights (2011)
Examines the ways in which domestic violence is experienced as an economic and financial burden at the community level.
THRIVE: A Framework for Understanding the Community Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence [Webinar]
Parks & Crawford (2016)
Prevention Institute & National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Utilizes the social determinants of the health framework to explore societal structures that contribute to intimate partner violence. This webinar enables practitioners to understand the effect of intimate partner violence and how to approach identification and prevention at a community level.