Dr. Samantha Woolery (2024)
Ellie Young (2024)
Dr. Gwen Amsrala (2023)
Dr. Elana Fric (2019)
Dr. Tamara O’Neal (2018)
Dr. Casey Mitchell Drawert (2016)
Dr. Teresa Sievers (2015)
Dr. Mamiko Kawai (2007)
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as physical or sexual violence, stalking, or psychological aggression by a current or former intimate partner. (CDC) Instances of IPV can escalate to murder, with the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increasing the risk of homicide by 5-fold. More than 64% of women die from gun violence, and IPV may also lead to chronic health complications, miscarriages in pregnant women, and premature birth.
The Role of Healthcare Practitioners
Physicians are in a unique position to combat the public health challenge of intimate partner violence by screening for IPV in patients, offering resources to guide patients, and making a plan to follow up with their patients.
Domestic Violence Impacts 1 in 4 physicians.
Studies have shown that domestic violence may be experienced by up to 25% of physicians, with a greater predominance of women as compared with men. Some cases involving women physicians have been made public, but the vast majority of cases are not reported or shared.
Out of the Shadows Index 2022 US Pilot Report
AMWA’s Dr. Nina Agrawal, Physician Chair of the Gun Violence Solution Committee, served as an expert on this report.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Intimate Partner Violence. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html
Grinshteyn E, Hemenway D. Violent Death Rates in the US Compared to Those of the Other High-income Countries, Preventive Medicine. 2019;123:20–26.
Reibling ET, Distelberg B, Guptill M, Hernandez BC. Intimate Partner Violence Experienced by Physicians. J Prim Care Community Health. 2020. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7594214/
Reibling ET, Distelberg B, Guptill M, Hernandez BC. Intimate Partner Violence Experienced by Physicians. J Prim Care Community Health. 2020 Jan-Dec;11:2150132720965077.
When Helping Patients Hurts: Domestic Violence,Domestic Violence, Vicarious Trauma, and the Journey of Healing (Oct. 11, 2025)
Untold Stories of IPV (Intimate Partner Violence) (Oct. 5, 2024)
Empowering Voices: Addressing Domestic Violence in Marginalized Communities (Oct. 7, 2023)
Preventing and Protecting: AMWA& SOMA Against Domestic Violence (Oct. 22, 2022)
AMWA Participates in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25, 2020)