Intimate partner sexual violence: the apple and the snake

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is now considered a real scourge by society, particu-larly as the rate of mortality worldwide remains so high. Noticeable by its absence is the phenomenon of intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) and this article is there-fore concerned with understanding its nature and the form it takes within couple relationships. To some extent sexual violence is most often a genitalised extension of IPV but it may also exist in its own right. Indeed, certain pathological personality organisations consider the spouse’s body as an object, a property, or an extension of the self. The consequences for both physical and mental health are significant, and although IPSV has much in common with IPV it also presents specific risk factors. Because of this, care must be both comprehensive and multidisciplinary, providing support and protection for the victim, as well as for both members of the couple to help them defuse, individualise, or emancipate themselves from the controlling aspects of the relationship. At a collective level, it is through a strong commitment to public policies of sexual health, education, and justice that we can tackle this complex and hitherto neglected process. Psychotherapy also has an important role to play in providing a secure and safe space for partners to explore the presence of sexual violence within the couple relationship and to address the issues concerned.