Sexual abuse within adult intimate relationships

An intimate partner's initiation of forced sex may signal the escalation of tyranny in physically abusive relationships and failed plans to obtain mutual consent for sexual intercourse in dating relationships. Providers of obstetric and gynecologic care are in strategic positions for primary detection of and intervention in physical and sexual abuse. To assist nurses with the understanding of women's responses to abuse and to enhance implementation of interventions, this article describes the dynamics of and a process for intervening in such abuses. The dynamics include brief explanations of its insidious development, why women stay, and women's empowerment for coping with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Beginning with asking about the abuse, the process progresses through short-term goals, safety issues, and intervention techniques.