Historical trauma and the impact on IPV among Indigenous women

ABSTRACT

Indigenous women experience violence 1.2 times more throughout their lifetime than their non-Indigenous women counterparts. Advocates who recognize that historical traumatic events are associated with the high rates of violence are vital to the healing process. This study focuses on interviews of 15 Indigenous women advocates who work with Indigenous women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). It seeks to explore the lived experiences of participants and their perception of historical trauma as a contributor to IPV. Participants from the Midwest region of the United States were asked 1) to share their perceptions on views regarding the way historical trauma shapes Indigenous women’s experiences of IPV, and 2) about their views regarding how historical trauma shapes Indigenous women’s reaction to IPV. The findings identify colonization as a generator of historical trauma and intergenerational transmission of trauma. In this study, participants share their own experiences in working with clients as well as their own personal stories of IPV. Results can contribute to the body of knowledge for practitioners and provide a foundation for understanding the connection between historical trauma and IPV.

KEYWORDS:

• Intimate partner violence
• Indigenous women
• historical trauma
• colonization
• Indigenous practitioners

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. For the purposes of this manuscript, all references to Indigenous people are specific to those living within the United States, unless otherwise noted.