Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is devastating to individuals, families, and communities. IPV is considered the most prevalent type of violence in families (Owen et al. in Journal of Family Violence, 24(7), 433–445. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9239-2, 2009; Williams et al. in Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 296–310. doi:10.1080/10926770801925726, 2008a). Unfortunately, IPV occurs far too frequently within African American families. Research suggests that African Americans are more likely to report experiencing IPV than any other racial groups (Bent-Goodley in Health & Social Work, 29(4), 307–316, 2004; Hampton and Gelles in Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 25, 105–119, 1994; Rennison and Welchans 2000). Despite this, there is a paucity of research that highlights the specific factors that may contribute to the high rates of IPV within the African American community. This article will explore the risk factors associated with IPV in this, while highlighting the way in which psychoanalytic theory can be used to understand these rates. Treatment approaches that use a multicultural framework will also be discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bell, C. C., & Mattis, J. (2000). The importance of cultural competence in ministering to African American victims of domestic violence. Violence Against Women, 6, 515–532. doi:10.1177/10778010022182001.
Benson, M. L., Wooldredge, J., Thistlethwaite, A. B., & Greer, L. F. (2004). The correlation between race and domestic violence is confounded with community context. Social Problems, 51(3), 326–342 URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/sp.2004.51.3.326.
Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2004). Perceptions of domestic violence: a dialogue with African American women. Health & Social Work, 29(4), 307–316.
Blitz, L., & Illidge, L. (2006). Not so black and white: shades of gray and brown in antiracist multicultural team building in a domestic violence shelter. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 6(2/3), 113–134. doi:10.1300/J135v06n02_08.
Calhoun, A. (2013). Introducing restorative justice: re-visioning responses to wrongdoing. Prevention Researcher, 20(1), 3–6.
Gondolf, E. W., & Williams, O. J. (2001). Culturally focused batterer counseling for African American men. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 2(4), 283–295.
Hampton, R. L., & Gelles, R. J. (1994). Violence toward Black women in a nationally representative sample of Black families. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 25, 105–119.
Hampton, R. L., LaTaillade, J. J., Dacey, A., & Marghi, J. R. (2008). Evaluating domestic violence interventions for Black women. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 330–353.
Hughes, H. M., & Huth-Bocks, A. C. (2007). Variations in parenting stress in African-American battered women: implications for children’s adjustment and family intervention. European Psychologist, 12(1), 62. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.12.1.62.
Kalichman, S. C., Williams, E. A., Cherry, C., Belcher, L., & Nachimson, D. (1998). Sexual coercion, domestic violence, and negotiating condom use among low-income African American women. Journal of Women’s Health, 7, 371–378.
McDonald, R., Jouriles, E. N., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., Caetano, R., & Green, C. E. (2006). Estimating the number of American children living in partner-violent families. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 137–142. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.137.
Owen, A. E., Thompson, M. P., Shaffer, A., Jackson, E. B., & Kaslow, N. J. (2009). Family variables that mediate the relation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 24(7), 433–445. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9239-2.
Pellegrini, D. W. (2010). Splitting and projection: drawing on psychodynamics in educational psychology practice. Educational Psychology in Practice, 26(3), 251–260. doi:10.1080/02667363.2010.495209.
Plass, P. S. (1993). African American family homicide: patterns in partner, parent, and child victimization, 1985–1987. Journal of Black Studies, 23, 515–539.
Powell, J. A. (2008). The impact of societal systems on Black male violence. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 311–329. doi:10.1080/10926770801925742.
Pumariega, A. J. (1996). Culturally competent outcome evaluation in systems of care for children’s mental health. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5(4), 389–397. doi:10.1007/BF02233861.
Rasmussen, B. (2013). Making sense of walt: a psychoanalytic understanding of racism. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 20(1), 50–61. doi:10.1080/15228878.2012.749185.
Rasmussen, B., & Salhani, D. A. (2010). Contemporary Kleinian contribution to understanding racism. Social Service Review, 84(3), 491–513.
Rennison, C. M., & Welchans, S. (2000). Bureau of justice statistics special report: Intimate partner violence. http://www.popcenter.org/problems/domestic_violence/PDFs/Rennison%26Welchans_2000.pdf.
Stark, E. (2001). Health intervention with battered women: from crisis intervention to complex social prevention. In G. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K. Bergen (Eds.), Sourcebook on violence against women (pp. 345–370). Thousand Oaks, GA: Sage Publications.
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Extent, nature, and consequences of intimate partner violence. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181867.pdf.
Wilkinson, D. (1978). The black family: past and present: a review essay. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 40(4), 829–835.
Williams, J. K., Wyatt, G. E., Myers, H. F., Presley Green, K. N., & Warda, U. S. (2008a). Patterns in relationship violence among African American women: future research and implications for intervention. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 296–310. doi:10.1080/10926770801925726.
Williams, O. J., Oliver, W., & Pope, M. (2008b). Domestic violence in the African American community. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 229–237. doi:10.1080/10926770801925486.
Wyatt, G. E., Axelrod, J., Ghin, D., Vargas Garmona, J., & Burns Loeb, T. (2000). Examining patterns of vulnerability to domestic violence among African American women. Violence Against Women, 6, 495–514.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al’Uqdah, S.N., Maxwell, C. & Hill, N. Intimate Partner Violence in the African American Community: Risk, Theory, and Interventions. J Fam Viol 31, 877–884 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9819-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9819-x