‘“She Tells Me I'm Pushy” is More Likely than the Man Directly Admitting to Being Pushy’: Practitioners’ Views on Screening and Assessing Risk of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

Abstract

Domestic and family violence (DFV) and sexual violence intersect, with sexual violence often perpetrated by an intimate partner alongside other forms of DFV. While DFV perpetrator interventions are commonly used in response to DFV perpetration, scant research has considered how these interventions identify and address sexual violence, including intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). Drawing on the findings from an Australian study which involved a survey of 97 practitioners, this paper explores screening and risk assessment of IPSV within the DFV perpetrator intervention context. The research findings demonstrate limited screening and risk assessment of IPSV, particularly when compared to other forms of DFV. This demonstrates a clear need for focused attention on IPSV as part of broader efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for all forms of DFV.