ABSTRACT
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue that has monetary, psychological, and emotional repercussions for individuals who experience violence, use violence, the family system aware of IPV, and society. The cost of IPV is emotionally, psychologically, and monetarily staggering, which makes appropriate detection, response, and treatment paramount in addressing and ameliorating the issue. Using systems theory, social workers intrinsically explore the systems in which IPV is present and are capable of responding in reactive and proactive manners. Through collaboration, the contributions of social work practice to include advocacy, education, prevention, intervention, and case management enhance community response to IPV and improve outcomes for those affected by violence. It is important to treat and support those who experience violence, but also for the individuals who use violence to be fully assessed, with discoveries informing the methods chosen to treat these individuals.
