BRIEF REPORT Prevalence and Characteristics of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women with Severe Mental Illness: A Prevalence Study in Spain Juan Gonza ´lez Cases • Cristina Polo Usaola • Francisco Gonza ´lez Aguado • Marisa Lo ´pez Girone ´s • Margarita Rullas Trincado • Alberto Ferna ´ndez Liria Received: 17 January 2013 / Accepted: 20 January 2014 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 Abstract This study examined the prevalence and char- acteristics of intimate partner violence (IPV) towards women with a severe mental illness (SMI). The sample consisted of 142 adult women with SMI treated in public mental health services in three districts of Madrid (Spain). The prevalence of IPV in the 12 months preceding the interview was 30.3 % and over the lifespan was 79.6 %. 32.7 % of women victims of violence do not qualify themselves as battered women. 48.5 % of battered women do not talk about their abusive situation with anyone or come to any resource or service. Women victims of abuse have low social support. Women who have suffered physical abuse in childhood are at 2.22 times higher risk of being victims of IPV in the past year. Mental health pro- fessionals identified 50 % of recent abuse cases. This research highlights the extent of IPV experienced by women with SMI. Keywords Intimate partner violence Á Mental illness Á Prevalence Á Abuse Á Schizophrenia Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a serious worldwide phenomenon, not only because of the extent of IPV but also because of the consequences that it has on a woman’s physical and mental health. There are many studies published in various countries that refer to the extent of the problem. In a survey conducted by the World Health Organization on general populations in different countries and contexts, it was found that between 15 and 71 % of women had suffered physical and/or sexual aggression at some point in their lives at the hands of their intimate partner or ex-partner. In addition, the survey found that between 15 and 71 % of women had suffered abuse during the year preceding the survey (Garcı ´a-Moreno et al. 2005). Thus, it may be concluded that to a greater or lesser degree, IPV towards women is a phenomenon that is present in all countries, cultures and social strata without exception (World Health Organization 2002). Worldwide, almost one-third (30 %) of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual vio- lence by their intimate partner (World Health Organization 2013). In Spain, general population surveys have indicated that the prevalence of partner-related violence during the J. Gonza ´lez Cases Á C. Polo Usaola Á F. Gonza ´lez Aguado Á M. Lo ´pez Girone ´s Á M. Rullas Trincado Á A. Ferna ´ndez Liria Human Rights Section, Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry, Madrid, Spain J. Gonza ´lez Cases (&) Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center, C/Pablo Coronel, 18, 28802 Alcala ´ de Henares, Madrid, Spain e-mail: jgcases@grupoexter.com C. Polo Usaola Á M. Lo ´pez Girone ´s Mental Health Center Hortaleza, University Hospital Ramo ´n y Cajal, C/Mar Caspio, 8, 28033 Madrid, Spain F. Gonza ´lez Aguado Mental Health Center, University Hospital Prı ´ncipe de Asturias, C/Alfonso de Alcala ´ s/n, 28802 Alcala ´ de Henares, Madrid, Spain M. Rullas Trincado Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center, C/Jardı ´n n8 28 bajo, 28830 San Fernando de Henares, Madrid, Spain A. Ferna ´ndez Liria University of Alcala, Carretera Alcala ´-Meco s/n, 28805 Alcala ´ de Henares, Madrid, Spain 123 Community Ment Health J DOI 10.1007/s10597-014-9703-1