Exploring the Needs and Lived Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Minority Domestic Violence Survivors Through Community-Based Participatory Research: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a methodological approach where community–academic teams build equitable relationships throughout the research process. In the domestic violence (DV) field, CBPR may be particularly important when conducting research with racial and ethnic minority DV survivors, as this group faces concurrent oppressions that inform their lived experiences. To our knowledge, no systematic review has synthesized articles using a CBPR approach to explore the needs and lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority DV survivors. Using PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of the literature, retrieving articles that used a CBPR approach to understand the needs and/or lived experiences of female racial and ethnic minority DV survivors residing in the United States. Articles were identified from peer-reviewed databases, bibliographies, and experts. Thirteen of the 185 articles assessed for eligibility were included. Articles focused on a variety of racial and ethnic minority groups, the majority identifying as African American or Latina. Collaboration occurred in multiple ways, primarily through equitable decision-making and building team members’ strengths. Several needs and lived experiences emerged including gender identity and patriarchal attitudes, racism and discrimination, the immigrant experience informing DV, poverty, shame and stigma, and the need for social support. This is the first systematic review of articles using a CBPR approach to explore the needs and lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority survivors. Implications include promoting community-based dissemination, conducting quantitative studies with larger sample sizes of DV survivors, and encouraging culturally specific services that address DV survivors’ intersectional needs.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Intimate Partner Violence Advocates and Agencies

“…One such time of increased stress has been the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has created devastating health and economic impacts globally (Bauer et al, 2021 ). In the early stages of the pandemic, a flurry of commentaries and lay press articles expressed concern about increased IPV frequency and severity due to the multiple interweaving impacts of the pandemic, compounded with widespread physical distancing measures (Campbell, 2020 ; Evans et al, 2020 ; Ragavan et al, 2020a ; Ragavan et al, 2020b ; United Nations, 2021 ). A recent meta-analysis of studies examining IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic reported that most study estimates were indicative of an increase in IPV during the pandemic (Piquero et al, 2021 ).…”

Intimate Partner Violence: Identification and Response in Pediatric Health Care Settings

“…We frame these needs within the intersectionality framework, recognizing that forms of structural oppression such as sexism, racism, classism, and xenophobia profoundly influence people's identities and intersect to create varying degrees of privilege. [30][31][32] We by no means discuss every group of marginalized survivors but hope to provide a brief overview.…”

“…35 Immigrant survivors may also face discrimination and stigma both within and outside of their communities. 30,36 Clinicians should ask survivors about their individual preferences for culturally specific IPV agencies, where available. Supporting the unique needs of immigrant children and adolescents (who comprise 25% of the US child population) exposed to IPV may require special consideration.…”

Participatory Research Engagement of Vulnerable Populations: Employing Survivor-Centered, Trauma-Informed Approaches

“…Researchers must determine what methods to employ to arrive at the intended level of participation from community stakeholders (Chung & Lounsbury, 2006;Vaughn & Jacquez, 2020). Participatory approaches centralize sharing power and collaborative decision-making between community partners and academic partners throughout the research process, from conceptualization to analysis to dissemination of study findings (Israel et al, 2008;Ragavan et al, 2020). In traditional community-based participatory research (CBPR), academic partners approach community partners -and sometimes, but less often, vice versa -to establish a connection around conducting research on a topic of shared interest (Duran et al, 2012).…”