First, we want to take a moment to honor the local organizations that have missions dedicated to serving survivors of domestic violence. Schuylkill Hope Center serves the survivors in Schuylkill County and Domestic Violence Intervention serves the survivors in Lebanon County. There are times when a person experiences both sexual violence and domestic violence in a relationship. Terms sometimes used to describe this co-occurring violence include marital rape, intimate partner sexual violence, reproductive coercion, or coercive digital abuse.
Sexual assault, abuse, and harassment can be used as a tool of intimate partner violence. At the same time, people who have a past history of sexual assault, may be at higher risk for experiencing intimate partner violence later in life. An intimate partner has no right to impose sexual acts or behavior on their partner. Using sexual violence in partnerships increases risk for lethality – meaning that it is more likely that the abusive partner will kill their partner. Finding safe connections that allow the survivor to begin safety planning and build supports can be an important first step in surviving this violence.
Sexual assault, abuse, and harassment share many common risk factors with intimate partner violence. At the same time, these two forms of victimization are unique, and community members who survive intimate partner violence have very specific needs to assist in their healing from this form of harm. If you or someone who know has experienced intimate partner sexual violence, reproductive coercion, physical or emotional abuse in intimate relationships, you can help by sharing contact information for SARCC, DVI, Hope Center, or the National DV hotline or the PCAR Help in PA page.
