Creating Safe Spaces for Those Who Have Lived through Intimate Partner Violence

The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) is higher among Veterans than civilians. The Veteran Health Administration's IPV Assistance Program has been key in rolling out a universal screening tool within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help identify Veterans who experience IPV; however, treatment options beyond safety planning, resources, and referrals are limited, and those that exist are primarily individual interventions, which may not be preferred or feasible in all settings. This paper describes the development and initial implementation of a new virtual group intervention, the "Windows" program, for women Veterans who have experienced or are experiencing IPV. Windows is based around an eight-week trauma-informed, recovery-oriented therapeutic group curriculum. The group's structure and implementation prioritize group members' safety and the ability to flexibly respond to members' needs. Initial observations and feedback from the first three participants are included, with the goal of informing future directions for the development of services for this population.