Widening the Lens: Expanding the Research on Intimate Partner Violence in Black Communities

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to further “widen the lens” by identifying future research directions. In the first section, I will briefly define intersectionality and highlight the survivors’ identities that warrant further investigation. When compared to other ethnic groups, Black women experience multiple types of victimization. In the second section, I will discuss the importance of situating IPV, especially non-fatal strangulation, reproductive coercion, and domestic homicide, in the context of family violence, community violence, historical trauma, structural violence, institutional violence, and cultural violence. Despite their elevated rates of victimization, Black women are remarkably resilient. In the final section, I suggest that we widened the research lens by focusing on protective factors, help-seeking, and resilience among Black survivors.

KEYWORDS:

• African American
• Black American
• intimate partner violence

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the University of Washington Tacoma’s Office of Community Partnerships for supporting my scholarship as a Resident Fellow.

Disclosure of Interest

Author declares no conflict of interest.

Notes

¹ The term “Black” will be used to refer collectively to individuals of African and Caribbean ancestry and “African American” will be ued to refer specifically to those of African ancestry who were born in the United States.