The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as "the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse."
Domestic violence a considerable challenge in today's society. Studies are constantly being conducted that probe into the nature and types of domestic violence as well as investigations that find new ways to deal with the problem. Government, law enforcement, public organizations, and private research groups all have a stake in the matter, analyzing the problem from several different and independent angles. This guide will seek to provide resources both inside and outside of our library in order to help the reader gain a better understanding of domestic violence.