IPV Among Latina Survivors: Unique Considerations, Strategies, and Opportunities

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant social issue that plagues individuals across socioeconomic status, national origin, ethnicity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Within the Latino community, the latest national survey indicates that one in three Latinas have experienced violence from a partner in

Help-Seeking Barriers for Latinx Victims of Intimate Partner Homicide: Insight From Survivors, Advocates, and Community Practitioners

“…Latinx IPH survivors face unique experiences when it comes to engaging in formal help-seeking behaviors that include immigrant status, economic insecurity, and inadequate system resources (Robinson et al, 2021;Rodriguez et al, 2019). Often used as a tool of coercion and control, immigrant status can lead survivors to remain silent about abuse (Rodriguez et al, 2019;Sabri et al, 2018). Transgender Latina women who flee their home countries to seek asylum in the U.S. are faced with the compounding effects of transphobia, misogyny, and intensifying immigrant xenophobia (X. K. Guadalupe-Diaz & West, 2020).…”

“…Latinx IPH survivors face unique experiences when it comes to engaging in formal help-seeking behaviors that include immigrant status, economic insecurity, and inadequate system resources (Robinson et al, 2021; Rodriguez et al, 2019). Often used as a tool of coercion and control, immigrant status can lead survivors to remain silent about abuse (Rodriguez et al, 2019; Sabri et al, 2018).…”

“…Language barriers for Latinx survivors in health and human services are also well documented (Brabeck & Guzmán, 2009; Reina et al, 2014) and survivors from marginalized ethnic communities also report discrimination from police (Robinson et al, 2021; Rodriguez et al, 2018). Having one of the largest pay gaps among all racial and ethnic groups and comprising a large part of the low-wage labor market, Latina women in particular may have limited resources with which to cope or leave abusive relationships (Rodriguez et al, 2019). Financial abuse, such as restricting access to money or financial information, has been found to be a common form of abuse experienced by Latinas (Davila et al, 2021).…”