Anticipating the needs of justice-involved women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV)

Research reports a large percentage of female prisoners are subject to physical and sexual violence from their partners prior to incarceration but return to the same relationships on their release into the community. At present, little is known about the experiences and needs of women prisoners and the types of services available to maintain their safety postrelease. The help-seeking behaviours of incarcerated women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and the perspectives of service providers in one Australian jurisdiction were investigated to inform the development of a model specific to the physical and mental health needs of women prisoners.