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Rape and Sexual Assault in IPV Context

Rape and Sexual Assault in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

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Sexual Violence Within Relationships

Prevalence in Relationships

  • 10-14% of married women experience spousal rape
  • 40-45% of domestic violence includes sexual violence
  • Often occurs alongside physical abuse
  • Severely underreported

Historical Context

Why It's Different from Stranger Assault

  • Ongoing access to victim
  • Embedded in pattern of control
  • Betrayal by trusted partner
  • Repeated assaults over time

Forms Within Relationships

Reproductive Coercion

  • Sabotaging birth control
  • Forcing pregnancy or abortion
  • Controlling reproductive healthcare
  • Using pregnancy to trap partners

Connection to Other Abuse

Why Victims Don't Leave

Barriers to Disclosure

  • Shame and self-blame
  • Fear of not being believed
  • Cultural stigma around sexuality
  • Loyalty to partner despite abuse

Myths About Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

The Impact is Severe

  • Complex trauma and PTSD
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Physical injuries and health problems
  • Difficulty with trust and intimacy

Recognizing the Signs

Responding with Understanding

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The Intersection of IPV and Sexual Violence

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Rape and Sexual Assault in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

Most sexual assault is committed by someone the survivor knows. This is often referred to as acquaintance rape, but if you were asked to name an acquaintance, you might think of a classmate, a coworker, or a friend—not someone with whom you're in a long-term relationship or someone to whom you are married.

Intimate partner violence can include sexual assault. This can be both surprising and confusing to the public and even to individuals new to working with survivors. In fact, this concept is still presented as shocking news in popular culture and media.

Click each section to explore how these forms of violence intersect

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE INTIMATE PARTNER SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Critical Understanding: Intimate partner sexual violence sits at the intersection of two forms of abuse, carrying the impacts of both while presenting unique challenges for survivors.

Sexual Violence and the Power and Control Wheel

Using Intimate Partner Sexual Violence for Power and Control

When intimate partner sexual violence is present in an abusive relationship, it is often used alongside other types of abuse on the Power and Control Wheel. It can be physical, visual, or verbal, and take place individually or in any combination.

Interactive Power & Control Wheel

Toggle the switch to see how sexual violence connects to each tactic

Standard View Sexual Violence Layer
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE POWER & CONTROL Coercion & Threats Using Intimidation Emotional Abuse Using Isolation Minimizing, Denying, Blaming Using Children Using Male Privilege Economic Abuse

Click a section of the wheel to explore how it connects to intimate partner sexual violence.

The Punishment Dynamic: If the survivor doesn't respond to threats or abuse in ways that make the abuser feel empowered, sexual assault may be used as punishment. This threat can be explicit, implied, or part of a larger pattern of control and coercion.

Barriers and Support

Click or tap each card to explore barriers survivors face, how to support them, and common reactions

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Barriers

Obstacles to identifying intimate partner sexual violence

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Barriers to Recognition

Conceptual Barriers:

  • Viewing sex as "spousal duty"
  • Assuming relationships mean passive consent
  • Classifying experience as "sex" not "violence"
  • Difficulty reconciling love with harm
  • Hesitance to define partner as "rapist"

Legal & Social Barriers:

  • Until 1976: spousal rape exempted from laws
  • 1993: All states repealed exemptions
  • Many states still treat marital rape differently
  • Some states consider it a lesser crime
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Supporting Survivors

How to respond when someone discloses

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Supporting Survivors

When someone discloses their experience to you, it signals they believe you can be trusted.

Critical Response Elements:

  • Listen without judgment
  • Build trust through actions and words
  • Maintain safety and confidentiality
  • Accept they may be uncomfortable with full details—that's okay
  • Create an environment where they feel safe, heard, and believed
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Survivor Reactions

Common responses to intimate partner sexual violence

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Common Reactions

There is no "right way" for a survivor to react. Common responses include:

  • Fear they won't be believed
  • Wondering if it's their fault
  • Feeling alone or unsure who to talk to
  • PTSD symptoms (dissociation, flashbacks, nightmares)
  • Feeling emotionally numb
  • Difficulty remembering aspects of the event
  • Increased substance use
  • Self-harm

Abusers may use these reactions to further the abuse—using insults or threats to keep survivors isolated.

Remember: Understanding barriers helps you recognize why survivors may not identify or report. Your response can make the difference between someone feeling heard or further isolated.

Quiz

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Prevalence and Underreporting

What percentage of women in abusive relationships are also sexually assaulted during the course of the relationship?