Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem associated with increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Assessment of IPV in mental health settings is important for appropriate treatment planning and referral; however, lack of training in how to identify and respond to IPV presents a significant barrier to assessment. To address this issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) advanced a series of evidence-based recommendations for IPV-related training programs.

Sexual assault is a serious public health problem in the United States with national studies finding that approximately 20% of women and 1.5% of men experience an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime (Smith et al., 2017). Sexual assault causes both mental health and medical problems (including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidal ideation and behaviors, alcohol and drug use, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancy).

The most recent national prevalence study on gender violence has estimated that approximately 40% of women will be victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime (Black et al., 2011). Considering only cases of physical violence, the numbers remain high, with approximately one-fourth (Breiding et al., 2014) to one-third (Thompson et al., 2006) of women in the U. S. estimated to be victims of physical violence by an intimate or ex-intimate partner in their lifetime.

Internet technologies can create hospitable environments for certain criminal behaviors. A new concern known as “cyberstalking,” which is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to harass individuals, has recently emerged as a new and growing problem. This article explores the definition of stalking and cyberstalking in modern society. While some researchers view cyberstalking as an extension of conventional stalking, the argument is made within this article that cyberstalking should be regarded as an entirely new form of deviant behavior.