Women’s Life Strains, Race/Ethnicity, and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

Abstract

While women manifest high rates of Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, they may perpetrate violence and levels vary by race/ethnicity. Drawing on racial/ethnic extensions of General Strain Theory (GST), I examine IPV perpetration among Black, Latina, and White women using the Add Health data. I found that life strains, especially financial problems and prior IPV victimization, were associated with IPV perpetration among all women supporting the main argument of GST. Anger was significant for White and Latina women though there was limited evidence for emotion mediation. I found racial/ethnic differences in the experience of strain and the impact of some strains on IPV perpetration which provides support for the racial/ethnic extensions of GST in understanding IPV perpetration.