One group often left out of discussions of domestic violence/intimate partner violence (IPV) is military service members and veterans. Service members have some distinct risk factors that may increase their likelihood of experiencing IPV. The military population is younger than the general population and service members 18-25 make up the majority of reported incidents of IPV in the military. Stress and the unpredictability of military life, such as long hours, shift work and uncertain deployments, create strain and tension for military families. Frequent moves to new locations can isolate survivors from their support networks, complicating any efforts to leave an abusive situation. And nonmilitary partners may have a hard time getting and keeping employment, which can put them at risk of financial abuse and leave them with limited personal funds.
Trauma is another risk factor. Youth may enlist to escape a home life filled with adverse experiences like witnessing IPV or surviving abuse or neglect. Adulthood experiences like deployment in an active war zone, sexual assault, or witnessing disasters are potential sources of trauma for service members. These invisible wounds correlate with an increased risk of becoming a survivor or perpetrator of IPV in later life.
But, there are protective factors that come with military service. Service members and veterans have access to medical care, stable pay and benefits, housing, and family support services located on the installation or through the Veterans Administration. These can all greatly improve financial stability and provide early intervention.
Screening at entry, education, training and awareness programs, and military and family life counseling are all ways that the Department of Defense attempts to prevent IPV. The Family Advocacy Program, provides non-law enforcement intervention and support to service members and their spouses and does not go through the military chain of command. For veterans, there is a VA program called the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP).