In this Southwestern American Indian community, the prevalences of lifetime PTSD and of exposure to a traumatic event were higher than in the general U.S. population. However, the nearly 4:1 ratio of subjects who reported at least one traumatic event to those with PTSD diagnoses is similar to findings from studies of non-Indians. Individuals with a history of multiple traumatic events (66.0%, N = 163) had a significantly higher risk of developing PTSD. Chronic and multiple trauma did not preclude the identification of acute and discrete traumatic events that resulted in PTSD.

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Extensive and scrupulously conducted research during the past decade has established the issue of violence against women by male partners as both an international human rights issue and a public health problem of national concern. This research has rarely been extended into communities of color, and, in particular, to American Indian women. This article presents conceptual and methodological factors involved in conducting research with American Indian women, a comprehensive literature review of available data, assertions regarding abuse of women by male partners in American Indian communities, and directions for future research. “Our grandmother, the earth, is a woman, and in mistreating your wife, you will be mistreating her. Most assuredly you will be abusing our grandmother if you act thus.” (Winnebago man)

High rates of psychiatric disorder have been reported in many American Indian populations. Many of these disorders are found in various combinations (e.g., alcoholism and depression). It is often difficult to determine which comorbid disorder is the cause or precursor to the other or whether there is an underlying etiologic factor common to both.Recent studies of non-Indian populations have shown associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the psychiatric conditions of alcoholism, depression, and anxiety. These studies suggest that cumulative trauma and PTSD may be primary contributors to the development of other psychiatric disorders.

Much has been written about intimate violence and American Indians, but little empirical data are available. This study investigated the prevalence and characteristics of intimate violence among 104 members of a Southwestern American Indian tribe. A semistructured psychiatric interview and a measure of intimate violence were administered to 104 tribal community members from an overall study sample of 582. Both men and women reported high rates of lifetime (91 %) and recent (31 %) intimate violence; much of this behavior was interactive. However, female victims were more likely to require medical attention because of sustained injuries and to have their children involved with the violence than were male victims. For women in this study, forced sex was the only incident significantly associated with lifetime affective disorders and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder. In this Southwestern American Indian community, intimate violence appears to be another variable in an environmental context that includes alcoholism, other psychiatric disorders, and traumatic events. • intimate violence * domestic violence * American Indian victimization * perpetrators Editor's Note. Barbara Chester died in 1997. We mourn the loss of a superb scholar, a compassionate clinician, and a powerful advocate for human rights.-LC-D