Final answer:
Arguments escalate to domestic violence or intimate partner violence when they involve physical harm, fear, coercion, or control over a partner. Risk factors for IPV include young age, low income, substance abuse, and stressful household dynamics. IPV has significant psychological and societal impacts beyond immediate physical danger.
Step-by-step explanation:
An argument with your spouse or significant other escalates to domestic violence when it involves behaviors that physically harm, provoke fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish, or force them to behave in ways they do not want. Intimate partner violence (IPV) may start as emotional abuse and can escalate to physical violence, sexual violence, threats, intimidation, and emotional abuse. Factors such as separation, cohabitation, socioeconomic status, substance use, and stress can contribute to the escalation of arguments into IPV, affecting both the victims and society.
Certain demographics are at a higher risk for experiencing IPV, such as women ages twenty to twenty-four, and IPV's impact extends beyond immediate physical harm, leading to psychological issues like major depression, substance abuse, and unemployment. Although IPV often occurs in the privacy of the home, its effects are far-reaching, influencing the wellbeing of families and the broader community.