The intersection of intimate partner violence and poverty in Black communities

Publication date: Available online 20 January 2019Source: Aggression and Violent BehaviorAuthor(s): Tameka L. GillumAbstractIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern that has profound impacts on women across the globe. Though it cuts across race, socioeconomic status, age, geography and sexual orientation, those communities plagued by poverty experience disproportionate rates. Poverty creates unique circumstances of vulnerability for individuals, families, and communities and is disproportionately experienced by Black communities in both developed and developing countries. The impact of poverty on Black communities is significant and pervasive, with deep historical roots. Both IPV and poverty have profound effects on women's physical and psychosocial health and well-being. Black women who live at the intersection of experiencing poverty and IPV are in an especially disadvantaged position. This paper will explore the impact of poverty on Black women's experiences of violence in the United States and on the African continent and present a call to action for necessary structural, community and individual level intervention to address this pervasive concern.
Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research