Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health problem that raises unique ethical issues for researchers. IPV involves an escalating cycle of abuse that leaves its victims and related others particularly vulnerable to physical, psychological and social harms. Institutional Review Boards (IRB’s) are charged with protecting research subjects from various harms. Particular attention is required for special populations, but it is not clear if IPV research subjects are included. IPV research subjects are clearly vulnerable in many ways, but should they have special protections like in the NBAC recommendations? Given the nature of IPV and the assault on self-determination that it involves, should research subjects be further disempowered by viewing them as somehow impaired?
Research is needed to help address the growing public health problem of IPV, but the paradoxical nature of IPV requires special attention. Research design needs to reflect careful consideration of who is selected, where they are in the cycle of abuse, where and how data are collected and stored, and how data are reported. These issues will be even more important as IPV research expands to include more intervention evaluation and research into perpetrators of IPV.
Learning Objectives: To examine ethical concerns in Intimate Partner Violence research and to consider the appropriateness of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) recommendations for research on adults with impaired capacity for decision making.
Keywords: Ethics, Domestic Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.