Sexual Violence Perpetration Against Intimate Partners: Current Progress and Future Directions

The literature on sexual violence perpetration against an intimate partner is reviewed and synthesized. Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is compared to other forms of interpersonal violence, and the heterogeneity of perpetrators is explored through an examination of proposed taxonomies. This review also addresses the applicability of existing risk assessment tools to IPSV perpetrators and identifies criminogenic needs of particular relevance to IPSV.

Recent research suggests the perpetration of IPSV is heterogeneous in nature, and individuals who perpetrate IPSV present with criminogenic needs consistent with exclusively sexual and violent offenders. There is support for existing risk tools to predict recidivism, but they may not encompass all relevant risk factors specific to IPSV offending. Commonality exists with other forms of interpersonal violence; however, the literature indicates that IPSV is complex and does not wholly resemble other sexual or violent offenses. Although further study is needed to fully understand IPSV perpetration, best practices in risk assessment and rehabilitation should employ tools that capture criminogenic needs.