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Abstract
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Sexual violence in intimate relationships and families is an often-hidden form of violence that occurs across the lifespan and impacts all societies, communities, sexual and gender orientations and is a global human rights issue. Sexual violence impacts not only physical, mental and reproductive health, but also economic and life opportunities, particularly for girls. Reflecting on the scale of this problem, the United Nations has laid out several Sustainable Development Goals, with women's equality and empowerment and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls as one of these goals (United Nations, 2017).
Sexual violence is any sexual act that is committed against an individual's will (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). It includes sexual harassment, assault, exploitation, rape, intimidation and unwanted sexually offensive communication. Unlike domestic and family violence, which has become more notable in the nursing literature, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, less attention has been paid to nursing research and scholarship on sexual violence. This is concerning as sexual violence doubles the risk of having an abortion, increases by 41% the risk of pre-term birth and increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections by 150% (WHO, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, & South African Medical Research Council, 2013). Sexual violence also amplifies the harmful health outcomes associated with partner violence (Jansen, 2020), often depriving women of education and employment (United Nations, 2017). Global estimates based on data from 57 countries also suggest that only half of all married or partnered women make decisions about their own sexual relations, contraceptive use or reproductive health care (UNFPA, 2020).
Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) can be perpetrated by current or past partners and may involve forced sexual activity, sexual assault, sexual coercion or sexual abuse (Bergen & Bukovec, 2006). The abuse and control tactics employed in IPSV typically do not occur in isolation. Victims experience a range of sexually violent, abusive and coercive strategies that erode their safety and their reproductive and sexual control...
Language: en |