Intimate Partner Violence In Relationships Research Articles

"Why I Stayed in That Relationship": Barriers to Indigenous Women's Ability to Leave Violent Relationships.

Indigenous women in the United States are among the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), which has reached endemic levels. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand contextual factors and barriers to becoming liberated from violence. Reconstructive analysis of data from a critical ethnography with a sample of 231 women across two tribes who described IPV relationships identified the following themes: controlling relationships, losing sense of priorities, using children, socioeconomic stress, family pressures, and restricting relationships. Results revealed these tactics, which parallel those used in the patriarchal colonialism of historical oppression, impeded women's liberation from relationships.

The Dynamics of Intimate Relationships and Violent Victimization Among Young Women.

Despite the fact that intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs within intimate relationships, we know relatively little about the characteristics of those intimate relationships, and even less about how IPV changes across time within different relationships. We use the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life (RDSL) study, based on a random sample of 1003 18-19-year-old women residing in a Michigan county. Women were interviewed weekly for 2.5years, resulting in an age range of 18 through 22. We estimate hybrid "within-between" regression models, which allows us to directly compare the same woman's risk of experiencing IPV across her different relationships, varied in terms of resources, balance of power, conflict, childbearing, relationship type, and duration. Our analyses demonstrate that power imbalance in intimate relationships, non-monogamous and unstable relationships, relationships with men who are not the father of a woman's existing children, and serious relationships (especially stayover and cohabiting) place young women in their late teens and early twenties at particularly high risk of multiple dimensions of IPV. Our fixed-effects modeling strategy isolated the increase in IPV risk that is due to these characteristics and experiences within intimate relationships from the risk due to young women being at high risk of IPV for other reasons who might tend to choose these types of relationships. The elevated risk of IPV in relationships with these characteristics and experiences supports a causal link between them. Our research supports the potential efficacy of interventions that reduce conflict, equalize power within relationships, and encourage women-especially young mothers-to delay serious relationships.

Nasilje u intimnim partnerskim odnosima tijekom epidemije COVID-19 u Sloveniji

Mjere poduzete za suzbijanje širenja koronavirusa uvelike su utjecale na dobrobit i ponašanje ljudi, što je dovelo do vjerojatnosti porasta nasilja u obitelji, posebice nasilja nad ženama. U našem članku predstavljamo analizu policijskih podataka o prijavljenim slučajevima obiteljskog nasilja, koju smo proveli s ciljem uočavanja potencijalnih promjena u učestalosti obiteljskog nasilja koje se događalo u tom razdoblju. U usporedbi s desetogodišnjim prosjekom, prijave o ‘nasilju u obitelji’ kao kaznenom djelu bile su prosječne 2020., ali su bile oko 20 % manje u 2021. Broj prekršaja nasilja u obitelji bio je gotovo prosječan u 2020., dok je 2021. bio manji. Broj izrečenih mjera zabrane približavanja u 2020. i 2021. bio je blizu desetogodišnjeg prosjeka. U razdoblju od 11 tjedana prvog i drugog razdoblja ograničene slobode kretanja broj većine uočenih kaznenih djela i prekršaja bio je veći. Zabrane približavanja su u tim razdobljima izricane i kršene u manjem broju. Ovi su rezultati potvrđeni nizom t-testa. U razdoblju izolacije povećan je broj prijava nasilja u obitelji (kao kaznenog djela i prekršaja), dok je smanjen broj policijskih zabrana prilaska.

Lesbian Intimate Partner Violence and Perceived Social Support

Abstract Intimate partner violence is recurrent in the daily lives of many Brazilian women, but its characteristics are little studied in same-sex relationships. This article aims to characterize the manifestation of violence in homosexual relationships among women based on its typology and frequency and to analyze the possible associations between violence and social support. The sample consisted of 634 Brazilian lesbians adults aged 18 to 58 years who answered three online instruments: Brazil Socioeconomic Classification Criteria, Conflict Tactics Scales (Brief version), and Perception of Social Support Scale. Based on latent class analysis, we identified four significantly different classes in terms of patterns of violence suffered and perceived social support. The findings reinforce the finding that relationship intimate partner violence and social support is a heterogeneous phenomenon, in which the variables are not always directly associated.

Increases in Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19: Prevalence and Correlates.

Measures to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic led to stay-at-home orders across the world, accompanied by fears of a global surge in intimate partner violence (IPV). We administered an online general-population survey to 1169 women and transgender/nonbinary individuals throughout the state of Michigan in June–August 2020 to assess changes in the prevalence, severity, and correlates of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quota sampling was used to match the racial/ethnic and urban/rural distribution of the state. More than one in seven (15.1%) participants reported physical, sexual, psychological, or technology-facilitated IPV since COVID, similar to the prevalence in the 3 months before COVID (16.2%). However, there were indications that IPV severity increased and that novel cases of IPV are occurring in relationships that previously had no abuse. A majority (64.2%) of individuals who experienced IPV since COVID reported that the IPV was new to the relationship (34.1%) or of increased severity during COVID-19 (26.6%), representing 9.7% of the overall sample. New or increased IPV was significantly more prevalent among those who were essential workers, pregnant, unable to afford rent, unemployed/underemployed or had recent changes to their job, had partners with recent changes to employment, and those who had gotten tested or tested positive for COVID-19. Urban residence, trans/nonbinary identity, and having a toddler were more strongly associated with IPV during COVID as compared to before COVID. While findings do not support significant changes in the overall prevalence of IPV, the majority of survivors reported incident IPV in relationships that had not previously been abusive, or IPV that became more severe since the start of the pandemic. Cases of new or increased IPV were more concentrated in marginalized groups. Potential touchpoints for outreach and services during future lockdowns include prenatal and pediatric settings, daycares, employers of essential workers, and COVID-19 testing centers. Policies providing rental, childcare, and unemployment support may mitigate increases in IPV during COVID-19.

Intimate Partner Violence: The Relationship between Risk Factors and Symptom Severity

ABSTRACT Several adult and childhood risk factors are associated with an increased likelihood of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Witnessing interparental violence and experiencing abuse as a child are both linked to an increased likelihood of experiencing IPV as an adult. Additionally, relationship factors, including length of IPV relationships, intermittent relationship reinforcement, and having children not related to the perpetrator, are linked to an increased severity of abuse. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between childhood and adult relationship factors and the severity of emotional and behavioral symptoms associated with IPV. Statistically, the macro PROCESS was employed to evaluate the association of childhood factors to symptom severity with adult relationship factors as the mediator. Results suggest that adult relationship factors partially mediate the relationship between childhood factors and symptom severity. Specifically, these findings demonstrate that the identified childhood factors significantly increased adult relationship factors, which, in turn, increased symptom severity in female IPV survivors. Educating clinicians and medical professionals’ understanding of these risk factors may improve the rates at which these survivors are identified and could lower the risk of continued abuse. Additioanlly, cultivating awareness of these factors and integrating them into assessment and intervention programs may be a step toward protecting IPV survivors against psychologically negative outcomes.

Long-term impact of the Sí, Yo Puedo curriculum and empowerment program on immigrant Latinas: follow-up groups at a police department

ABSTRACT Immigrant Latinas (IL) experiencing incidences of intimate partner violence (IPV) require services from police departments. This study builds upon a previously mixed-method study conducted at a police department between 2015 and 2018 in the US. Thirty-three IL participated in five educational groups (ns = 7, 7, 6, 6, 7) in a culturally specific curriculum and program, Sí, Yo Puedo, designed to foster self-esteem and provide education on IPV and healthy relationships. Two follow-up groups (ns = 8, 5) were conducted in December 2020 to assess IL’s experiences post completion of the Si, Yo Puedo empowerment program. Content analysis was the method employed to review the data and generate themes of the participants experiences. Participants’ qualitative responses included positive feelings of increased confidence and self-esteem, and reports of learning about legal rights and the dynamics of IPV. Findings implicate this curriculum as a service tool for police departments working with this population.

Intimate partner violence and pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in psychological sequelae in different populations, especially female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) who are pregnant. Nonetheless, little is known about how IPV events and pregnancy are related to mental health outcomes for pregnant women during the pandemic, when this research took place. 155 pregnant women (82 primigravidas and 73 multigravidas women) were assessed using questionnaires for mental health status and IPV events. The results showed that primigravida women were less likely to experience intimate partner violence than multigravida women. Further, first time pregnancy was not related to symptoms of psychopathology nor perceived stress, even after controlling for the potential effect of IPV. In contrast, IPV was related to all measures of psychopathology, except for pregnancy-specific stress. The results provide information about the relationship of IPV, pregnancy and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the study design (part of awider study), it is not yet possible to examine how IPV patterns with respect to pregnancy may have changed in response to the pandemic. In light of the relationship between IPV and mental health during the pandemic, assessment of IPV appears to be an important component in health assessments of pregnant women.

'I will rather be killed by corona than by him…': Experiences of abused women seeking shelter during South Africa's COVID-19 lockdown.

BackgroundIn April 2020, the United Nations predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a ‘calamitous’ impact on the lives of women. This was based on concerns about an upsurge in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) arising from increased opportunities for relational conflict due to forced co-existence and therefore additional time spent with abusive partners.AimResearch has shown an increase in IPV during times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated unprecedented circumstances and stress, and opportunities to do research to understand whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on IPV experiences were limited. Thus, the present study aimed to understand women’s experiences of being in and leaving an abusive relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIndividual, telephonic interviews were conducted with 16 women living in domestic violence shelters within three Provinces during South Africa’s lockdown period.ResultsFindings reveal that the public health measures implemented by the South African Government to curb the spread of the virus, may have placed vulnerable groups at increased risk of violence. Specifically, lockdown likely magnified the risk for escalation of abuse in families already experiencing IPV prior to COVID-19. The study highlights an IPV and COVID-19 relationship, showing that the gender insensitive pandemic control measures, such as stay at home orders and travel restrictions, likely placed women at risk of increased abuse. Given the recurrency of COVID-19 epidemic waves, attention must be given to gender disparities or many South African women may experience worse outcomes.ConclusionThis study reminds us that being ordered to stay at home is not always the safest option for women and thus, in a country with one of the highest levels of GBV, it becomes imperative to ensure that IPV safeguards are integrated into COVID-19 measures. It also becomes evident that COVID-19 requires enhanced ways of responding by paying attention to gender disparities.

Violence in intimate relationship between women. Integrative literature review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widely portrayed from a heterosexual point of view, and there are few representations of violence in homosexual intimacy. This article analyzes the literature on intimate partner violence in relationships between women who have sex with women. Methodologically, the study corresponds to an integrative literature review that analyzed 60 articles published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, available in the SCIELO databases; CAPES journals; Virtual Health Library; Redalyc and Dialnet, published between 2012-2019. The findings are analyzed descriptively using an instrument developed by the authors, called the review protocol. The results are presented into five categories that discuss cultural aspects related to IPV in this population. 1st) Gender; 2nd) Intergenerational violence; 3rd) Minority stress; 4th) Substance abuse and 5th) Barriers to coping with IPV, which show the intergenerational influence on intimate violence and that gender stereotypes make intimate violence between women invisible by making them think of themselves as non-aggressors at the same time. Women are crossed by intersectionalities that accentuate the stress experienced by being a sexual minority, and the barriers to coping with IPV involve the State's lack of preparation to deal with non-heterosexual IPV.

What you say and what I hear-Investigating differences in the perception of the severity of psychological and physical violence in intimate partner relationships.

The correct communication of the severity of violence is essential in the context of legal trials, custody cases, support of victims, etc., for providing fair treatment. A narrator that communicates their experiences of interpersonal violence may rate the seriousness of the incident differently than a rater reading the narrator's text, suggesting that there exist perceptual differences (PD) in severity ratings between the narrator and the rater. We propose that these perceptual differences may depend on whether the narrative is based on physical or psychological violence, and on gender differences. Physical violence may be evaluated as more serious by the receiver of the narrative than by the narrator (Calibration PD), whereas the seriousness of psychological violence may be difficult to convey, leading to a discrepancy in the seriousness ratings between the narrator and the rater (Accuracy PD). In addition, gender stereotypes may influence the seriousness rating (Gender PD), resulting in violence against women being perceived as more serious than the same violence against men. These perceptual differences were investigated in 3 phases using a new experimental procedure. In Phase 1, 113 narrators provided descriptions and seriousness ratings of self-experienced physical and psychological violence in relationships. In Phase 2, 340 independent raters rated the seriousness of 10 randomly selected narrations from Phase 1. In Phase 3, the genders in the narrations were changed to the opposite gender, and seriousness ratings were collected from 340 different raters. Our results confirmed the hypothesized perceptual differences. Violence to male victims was considerably more likely to be seen as severe when the raters were misled to believe the victim was a woman. We propose that these data provide practical guidelines for how to deal with misinformation in the communication of violence. The data also show that mean values and the confidence of such severity ratings need to be adjusted for several factors, such as whether it is self-experienced or communicated, the type of violence, and the gender of the victims and raters.

Ending intimate partner violence among women living with HIV: How attachment and HIV stigma inform understanding and intervention

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods, exploratory study examined why women living with HIV (WLHIV) stay in intimate partner violence (IPV) relationships and what helps end IPV in their lives. WLHIV (n = 108) who experienced IPV and were patients at two HIV primary care clinics in San Francisco completed quantitative surveys; 15 participants also completed a qualitative interview. Qualitative data showed HIV stigma was the most cited reason for staying in an IPV relationship, followed by substance use, and then by themes of attachment insecurity. Quantitative data indicated that most participants accessed HIV services and rated them as more helpful than other community resources to end IPV in their lives. Enduring attachment relationships with HIV medical and social service providers and their attachment-enhancing actions and attributes were critical to participants addressing IPV and coping with HIV stigma. This study highlights the important role that HIV providers and clinics can play in addressing IPV among WLHIV.

Transportation Barriers among Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

The current study reports on transportation barriers among a transportation-underserved and under-recognized population—immigrant women who are survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Using an exploratory cross-sectional qualitative method, two focus groups were conducted with a total of 15 immigrant IPV survivors (25–68 years old) in North Texas, U.S. Three key themes highlight the essence of the transportation barriers among the participants: (1) “ my mobility was in my ex-husband’s hand,” (2) transportation disadvantage blocks independence, and (3) public transit in/accessibility undercuts the move toward independence. The study found that transportation is used as a means of control and coercion among IPV perpetrators, and insufficient and inconsistent access to this basic resource impedes the process of exiting IPV situations and regaining independence and stability. The women described that their perpetrators denied them access to the family car or prevented them from going to work. On exiting IPV relationships, the women desired flexible and on-demand transportation whenever possible, and reported concerns with safety, flexibility, and reliability in public transit. First- and last-mile obstacles proved difficult, particularly given that the women had recently relocated to IPV shelters intentionally located in discrete neighborhoods away from their normal travel routes and less proximal to public transit stations. Findings highlight the need for transportation planners and engineers to consider more multi-modal and creative transportation solutions for such populations to overcome first/last-mile accessibility, increase flexibility, and enhance perceived safety in ridership.

Attachment Characteristics Among Women Victimized in No, One, and Multiple IPV Relationships: A Case-Control Study.

This cross-sectional study compared attachment characteristics among women victimized by intimate partner violence (IPV) in no, one, and multiple relationships (N = 154). Results indicated that compared with the nonvictimized, victimized women had increased likelihood of higher attachment avoidance. Compared with women victimized in one relationship, women victimized in multiple relationships had higher likelihood of higher attachment anxiety scores. Adjusting for childhood adversities, childhood sexual abuse was an independent risk factor for IPV. Childhood emotional abuse mediated the association between attachment anxiety and IPV victimization in multiple relationships in particular. Attachment theory appeared useful for better understanding women’s vulnerability for multiple violent relationships.

Lay Understandings of the Structure of Intimate Partner Violence in Relationships: An Analysis of Behavioral Clustering Patterns.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common and has a lasting negative impact on the health and well-being of victims and survivors. People's mental frameworks (schemas) of IPV are central in allowing them to identify and respond to IPV. Early recognition of IPV is essential to reducing the cumulative harm caused by repeated instances of abusive behaviors. In relationships with IPV, abuse typically starts with relatively less harmful behaviors, which may be ambiguous in isolation, and escalates. The present research examines the content of lay people's IPV schemas to gain insight into their understanding of the presentation and progression of IPV. Participants (N = 168) were presented with two exemplars each of three different relationship types (nonabusive, nonphysically abusive, and physically abusive) resulting in a total of six exemplars. They were also presented with a list of behaviors that comprised nonabusive, nonphysically abusive, and physically abusive actions. For each exemplar, participants selected the behaviors they considered most likely to co-occur with the exemplar behavior. They then rated the abusiveness of the behavioral clusters they had created. Results indicate that participants distinguish nonabusive, physically abusive, and nonphysically abusive clusters. Nonphysically abusive behavior clusters are seen as less abusive than physically abusive behavior clusters, with nonphysically abusive behaviors more likely to be grouped with nonabusive behaviors.

Stay-or-Leave Decisions in Intimate Partner Violence Relationships by Gender: A Study Based on the Investment Model

Stay-or-Leave Decisions in Intimate Partner Violence Relationships by Gender: A Study Based on the Investment Model

Trapped and Resistant Body: Everyday Practices of Women in Taiwan in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

The extensive literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women has focused on the single actors of forces imposed on women. Little is known about the intertwined relationships among the roles of multiple participants in the context of IPV. This study used Michel de Certeau’s concepts of strategies, tactics, and space to explore the power struggle between female survivors and IPV perpetrators, family members, and institutions. This study used data collected in semi-structured interviews between 2016 and 2018 with 24 women (30 to 54 years of age) in Taiwan who experienced IPV from their male partners. Thematic analysis was used to identify and organize themes based on the concepts of strategies, tactics, and spatial actions. Three coders analyzed the data based on the conceptual framework, and inter-rater reliability was evaluated to ensure the quality of the results. Six themes were identified and grouped into two dimensions. Female Taiwanese survivors of IPV confronted not only the strategies of their male partners and families but also strategic mechanisms from the police and nongovernmental organizations. Female survivors found tactical opportunities to evade or resist everyday forms of strategic power. Understanding the quotidian experiences of female survivors has important implications for their protection and support to help them increase their safety and well-being when they are involved in an IPV relationship in particular, and spatial power structures in general.

Identifying Nonphysical Intimate Partner Violence in Relationships: The Role of Beliefs and Schemas.

While substantial research has been conducted on intimate partner violence (IPV), comparatively little research has examined peoples' perceptions of which behaviors comprise this form of abuse. Early identification of IPV is critical to ending abuse, however, forms of IPV that typically occur earlier in a relationship (e.g., nonphysical abuse) may not be core components of peoples' mental frameworks (schemas) of IPV and may therefore be less commonly identified as abusive. To explore this, in Study 1 participants from an Australian University (N = 86) separately described the relationships with IPV and nonphysical IPV. Analyses identified control, power imbalance, stereotypical gender dynamics (male perpetrator, female victim), physical abuse, and having a low socioeconomic status abuser as common components of participants' IPV schema when not prompted with type of abuse. However, participants largely failed to describe nonphysical IPV behaviors, suggesting limited awareness of the specific behaviors that constitute abuse. To explore this in Study 2, participants from an Australian University (N = 305) were asked to categorize a range of specific behaviors (including physically abusive, nonphysically abusive, and nonabusive behaviors) as definitely, maybe, or never abusive. Drawing on the known positive association between gender and romantic beliefs with the experience of abuse, we also assessed the relationship of identification of IPV behaviors to these beliefs. Moderated multilevel modeling showed that nonphysical IPV behaviors were generally perceived as less abusive than physical IPV behaviors. In addition, stronger endorsement of romantic jealousy was associated with evaluating nonphysical IPV as less abusive. However, romantic jealousy beliefs were not significantly associated with the perceived abusiveness of physical IPV behaviors. Findings support the conclusion that individuals' IPV schemas contribute to a failure to identify nonphysical IPV behaviors as abusive, and this is particularly true for people who more strongly endorse romantic jealousy.

IPV Characteristics, Childhood Violence, and Adversities as Risk Factors for Being Victimized in Multiple IPV Relationships.

Empirical knowledge regarding risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) from multiple partners (MP) is scarce and sought by clinicians and many women themselves for the prevention of future intimate partner violence relationships (IPVRs). Quantitative data were obtained through a structured interview with a stratified sample of help-seeking women (N = 154) with no (n = 48, 0IPVR), one (n = 55, 1IPVR), or multiple (n = 51, 2IPVR) IPVRs. This study investigated the association between (a) childhood family violence, (b) other childhood adversities, (c) victimization and perpetration of IPV in the last (index) relationship, and (d) controlling sociodemographic and contextual variables, and the following dependent variables: (a) women with 1IPVR and 2IPVR compared with 0IPVR and (b) women with 1IPVR compared with 2IPVR. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that, compared with nonvictimized women, IPV victimized women were nearly three times more likely to report childhood sexual abuse. They also reported a higher frequency of peer victimization and a higher likelihood of having an immigrant partner. In addition, the length of the index relationship was shorter for IPV victimized women. Compared with women with 1IPVR, women with IPV by MP were more likely to report childhood emotional abuse and less education, and they were less likely to be immigrants. The two groups of IPV victimized women were indistinguishable regarding characteristics of victimization and perpetration of IPV. This study indicated that there were other risk factors for IPV by MP than for IPV in general and highlighted the importance of addressing parenting and emotional care in IPV families.

Help-Seeking Behaviors and Barriers Among Black Women Exposed to Severe Intimate Partner Violence: Findings From a Nationally Representative Sample.

This article examined general help-seeking utilization and barriers among U.S. Black women reporting severe physical intimate partner violence (IPV). Data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), the largest and most detailed survey on Blacks residing in the United States, were analyzed. Among U.S. Black women reporting severe physical IPV, many sought the help of a psychiatrist (13.8%) or other mental health professionals (14.0%). Multivariate findings revealed associations between help-seeking utilization and sociodemographic factors. Queries from open responses suggested potential cultural and ethnic differences between African American and Caribbean Black women reporting intimate partner violence in relation to barriers to help-seeking.