Domestic Violence- sometimes called Intimate Partner Violence- is an ongoing pattern of willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. It is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of ag, economic status, race, religion, nationality, educational background or gender identity. Domestic violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior, and thus is part of a systematic pattern of dominance and control. It results in physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. The consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.