Patterns in Relationship Violence Among African American Women: Future Research and Implications for Intervention

• NCJ Number: 224002
• Journal: Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: 2008 Pages: 296-310
• Author(s): John K. Williams; Gail E. Wyatt; Hector F. Myers; K. Nicole Presley Green; Umme S. Warda
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 MH48269; A128697
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health; UCLA AIDS Institute
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For related articles see NCJ-223998-224001, and 224003-04

Annotation

This study examined domestic violence in HIV-positive and HIV-negative African-American women, specifically identifying the characteristics of African-American women who are survivors of interpersonal violence and identifying the psychological sequelae associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) histories.

Abstract

Results indicate that HIV-positive African-American women were significantly more disadvantaged overall than the HIV-negative African-American women. The HIV-positive women had significantly less education, were less likely to be employed, were more likely to be single or unattached, and reported lower annual incomes. Consistent with previous reports HIV-positive women reported having slightly greater numbers of sexual partners than the HIV-negative women and were more likely to be sexually inactive than HIV-negative women. In addition, the HIV-positive women reported experiencing significantly more intimate partner violence (IPV) and greater depressive symptoms than the HIV-negative women. These results confirm previous findings that relationship violence contributes to psychological distress and dysfunction in victims. However, it is likely that the burden of distress and depression may be due to multiple co-occurring factors, including socioeconomic deprivation and dependence, the burden of HIV, and the burden of coping with IPV. Understanding HIV related risks to African-American women is important given the increasing rates of infection among heterosexual women, as well as greater attention to the nature of the relationships these women have with their partners. The purpose of this study was to address issues that need to be understood in order to prevent IPV in relationships with both HIV-positive and HIV-negative African-American women. Specifically, those factors that are associated with enhanced risk for IPV and some of the psychological sequelae of IPV in African-American women as a function of HIV-serostatus were examined. References