P: INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
P’s husband of several years is manipulative, tense, dominant and controlling in their relationship [80]. He regularly manipulates, humiliates and degrades her [81]. He repeatedly harasses her with unwanted phone calls, texts, e-mails, and cards [82], and has threatened to harm himself. P’s husband also gaslights her, making false statements to and about her, withholding and omitting information so that she doubts her own perceptions. He blames her for his abuse and accuses her of making things up. When P tries to leave the relationship, her husband threatens suicide saying, “I’ll kill myself if you leave me” [83]. P considers reporting the incidents but fears reprisal and a biased police that would protect the offender [84]. She goes to see her physician who identifies her as experiencing abuse, validates her experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), works with her to develop a safety and exit plan, and refers her to counseling addressing trauma from IPV [85]. P starts domestic violence counseling and gets housing protection through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) [86].
