More than 4 million women each year in the United States are physically harmed by their husband, boyfriend, or other intimate partner. Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, not only hurts the women who are abused but also affects their overall health, their ability to earn a living, and their children. Although men can suffer from domestic violence, women are much more likely to be abused by an intimate partner than are men. The August 13, 2008, issue of JAMA is a theme issue on violence and human rights that includes an article about intimate partner violence among married women in India. This Patient Page is based on one previously published in the August 7, 2002, issue of JAMA.

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