Abstract
The purpose of this special section is to highlight the intersection of sexual assault and intimate partner violence – sexual intimate partner violence (SIPV) – within the Department of Defense (DoD). As an introduction to this special section, the editors first define SIPV, and argue that it has been a neglected issue within the DoD. They explore the complexities of addressing this issue within the DoD, including the fact that sexual assault is addressed through different offices depending on whether it was perpetrated by an intimate partner. The authors of this introductory article next preview the contributions of the five research articles within this special section, identifying areas where future research is needed. This article concludes with suggestions for additional actions that the DoD might take to increase awareness of SIPV within the military and to improve prevention of and response to SIPV within the ranks.