Factors Influencing Resource Use by African American and African Caribbean Women Disclosing Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Many victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) do not access services. Education and severity of physical violence have previously been shown to predict resource utilization, but whether these hold true specifically among women of African descent is unknown. This paper furthers our understanding of the relationship between IPV and resource use, considering socio-demographics and aspects of IPV by presenting results from a study conducted with African American and African Caribbean women in Baltimore, Maryland and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of the 545 women included in this analysis, 95 (18%) reported emotional abuse only, 274 (50%) reported experiencing physical abuse only, and 176 (32%) had experienced both physical and sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Resource utilization was relatively low among these women, with only 57% seeking any help. Among those who did, 13% sought medical, 18% DV, 37% community and 41% criminal justice resources. Generalized linear model results indicated that older age, severe risk for lethality from IPV and PTSD were predictive of certain types of resource use, while education, insurance status, and depression had no influence. Perceived availability of police and shelter resources varied by site. Results suggest that systems that facilitate resource redress for all abused women are essential, particularly attending to younger clients who are less likely to seek help, while building awareness that women accessing resources may be at severe risk for lethality from the violence and may also be experiencing mental health complications. In addition, greater efforts should be made on the community level to raise awareness among women of available resources.

Intimate Partner Violence and Its Health Impact on Ethnic Minority Women

“…What we do know is that Black and Latina women with experiences of IPV are less likely to utilize mental health services and medical attention for injuries resulting from IPV compared with White women. [79][80][81] Likewise, ethnic minority abused women often seek IPV-related help from informal support systems (e.g., friends, family) rather that formal support systems (e.g., health providers, mental health professionals) given experiences of medical mistrust and perceived discrimination. 72,[81][82][83] The IPV-related health needs of Hispanics or Latinos are becoming increasingly salient with a population growth rate more than three times that of the general U.S. population 84 and continued evidence of health inequities for these groups in comparison to White women, especially middle class White women.…”

“…[79][80][81] Likewise, ethnic minority abused women often seek IPV-related help from informal support systems (e.g., friends, family) rather that formal support systems (e.g., health providers, mental health professionals) given experiences of medical mistrust and perceived discrimination. 72,[81][82][83] The IPV-related health needs of Hispanics or Latinos are becoming increasingly salient with a population growth rate more than three times that of the general U.S. population 84 and continued evidence of health inequities for these groups in comparison to White women, especially middle class White women. 24 Similarly, there is increased recognition to account for the heterogeneity of Black women in addressing health outcomes and behaviors, 85 as there is the importance of contextualizing IPV across the different tribes among Native Americans, particularly because class and power relations differ across tribes.…”

The impact of a referral card-based intervention on intimate partner violence, psychosocial health, help-seeking and safety behaviour during pregnancy and postpartum: a randomized controlled trial

“…In a similar vein, literature has shown that informal sources of help and social support, including family, friends and coworkers, are the primary source women call upon to in dealing with IPV [83]. Several population-based studies have shown that 58% to 80% of abused women opt to share information about the abuse and seek support at least once with any informal resource [84].…”

“…If one does not identify the abuse/violence as such, one is unlikely to utilize resources. Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about abuse develop within sociocultural contexts and influence how women define and respond to experiences [84]. More specifically, the childbearing cycle strengthens the bonds between partners and their commitment to the family.…”

Sexual Health Promotion and the Attention to the Social Determinants of Health in the Caribbean

“…In general, the attention to sexual health in the Caribbean, as in many other geographical contexts, has been limited and fragmented. The current scientific literature (last 3 years) covering sexual health areas in the Caribbean is mostly associated with reproductive health (Boersma et al 2012;Claeys 2010;Ferguson et al 2012;Pottinger et al 2012;Priestley 2012;van den Brink et al 2011), sexual violence (Cobbett and Warrington 2013;Lucea et al 2013;van Wijk and de Brujn 2012), sexuality education (Escobar-Chaves et al 2011;Hammer et al 2010), sexual behaviors (Anastario et al 2010;Ishida et al 2011;Ortiz et al 2011), sexually transmitted infections (excluding HIV) (Anderson et al 2013;Orisatoki and Oguntibeju 2010;Underwood et al 2010), and other sexual health concerns and problems, particularly cancers (Hennis et al 2013;Chekuri et al 2012;Méndez et al 2013;Underwood et al 2010). In these recent articles, some island nations or populations are more represented than others and we can speculate that this is associated with the involvement of the academic institutions in these countries as well as the resources allocated for research and dissemination of findings.…”