The Co-Occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence: A Commentary on the Special Issue

Abstract

Keywordschildhood maltreatment, domestic/intimate partner violence, exposure to domestic violence Historically, child maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) have been treated independently along separate trajectories with respect to research, policy, and service provision. These two forms of family violence, however, routinely overlap, with common risk factors, co-occurrence in the same family system or household, intergenerational effects, and common and compounding adverse effects across the lifespan (Guedes et al., 2016). Years of siloed research have resulted in specialized and narrowly focused areas in the field, where scholars and practitioners have honed in on the risks, effects, and prevention and intervention strategies for specific forms of violence. These efforts have moved the field forward in substantial ways but have somewhat constrained the ability to understand and synthesize the complex etiology of interpersonal violence and develop comprehensive prevention and intervention efforts. Increasingly over the past decade, scholars have called for greater integration of these separate lines of research toward a more comprehensive understanding of interpersonal violence (see Banyard, 2013;Hamby, 2011;Hamby & Grych, 2013;Kazdin, 2011). This will foster a new standard of integration (see Wilkins et al., 2014). The ten articles in this special issue are excellent examples of integration by scholars who are advancing the field through their research on the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and IPV, specifically in the areas of child welfare services, parenting and intergenerational transmission, health-related outcomes, and approaches to polyvictimization.

Patient Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: Why Physicians Need to Be Trauma-Informed

“…However, the different forms of family and interpersonal trauma have been treated independently in terms of research, education, and policy development. 11 This narrow focus has overlooked the interconnectedness of different forms of trauma, and as a result, the medical community has failed to understand the cumulative and profound negative impacts of trauma on lifelong health and the increased risk for future revictimization for those who experience polyvictimization in childhood. 2 , 12 The 1998 Adverse Childhood Experiences Study 2 and subsequent studies 13 have added to our understanding of the impact of adversity during childhood on lifelong health outcomes.…”