Phoenix Australia > Research > Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among military personnel and veterans: An international evidence synthesis project

RESEARCH PROJECT

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among military personnel and veterans: An international evidence synthesis project

This project aimed to bring together the best available international evidence regarding the prevalence of both IPV use and exposure among current military personnel and veterans, while providing a framework for planning ways of addressing violence in military and veteran-specific settings.

This project was conducted in partnership with the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families in Canada and involved two comprehensive reviews of international evidence. The first was a systematic review of studies of IPV in military and veteran populations, which provided the best available estimates of overall prevalence based on population-based surveys and population screening studies. The second was a scoping review of studies of IPV interventions in military and veteran-specific health services, which was described in relation to a proposed conceptual framework for these interventions.

There were several key findings from the review of prevalence studies, including:

  • There were around 13% of all current military personnel and veterans who reported any recent IPV use, while around 21% reported any recent IPV exposure.

  • Higher rates of IPV use were found in studies of veterans and in health service settings, while no clear differences were observed according to gender, era of service or country of origin.

  • There were no eligible studies that were based in the Australian context.

Additional key findings from the review of intervention studies were also identified, including:

  • There were several examples of interventions addressing IPV use, which mainly comprised group treatment programs for men.

  • There was a broader range of interventions addressing IPV exposure. These included training for health providers, case identification and risk assessment strategies, and select forms of psychosocial intervention for women veterans who had been exposed to IPV.

  • There were few instances of prevention programs, and no examples of recovery-oriented interventions, while all eligible studies were based in the U.S. (and none were from Australia).

The reports on these reviews have both been published with the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and are freely available open access:

READ REPORT

 

READ REPORT

Stay up-to-date

Sign up to receive our latest news, event information and research findings.

Newsletter

Phoenix Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to all Elders, past and present. We acknowledge continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to land, water and communities—places of age-old ceremonies, of celebration and renewal—and their unique contribution in the life of these lands.

We are committed to fostering an environment in which the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their fellow Australians is characterised by a deep mutual respect, leading to positive change in our nation’s culture and capacity.

Read more

About Phoenix Australia

Phoenix Australia are experts in trauma-related mental health and wellbeing. For 25 years, we have been Australia’s National Centre of Excellence in Posttraumatic Mental Health and internationally recognised leaders in our field. We are committed to driving forward the mental health agenda both at home and abroad.

Donate Now

Contact Us

Level 3, 161 Barry Street
Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia
Phone: +61 3 9035 5599
Fax: +61 3 9035 5455

Email us
NEED URGENT HELP?

For urgent support
call Lifeline on

Call 13 11 14

Confidential 24/7
counselling and referrals

Lifeline website
Find Help