Purpose: Research has shown that individuals' assessment of their risk for HIV is associated with their actual risk behaviors (Steers et al., 2001). Research has found that sexual risk behavior (e.g., condom use) with primary partners is particularly resistant to change (Misovich, Fisher, & Fisher, 1997), which may be related to underestimates of risk based on sexual practices with main partners (Stoner et al., 2003). Because HIV risk has been associated with partner violence (Maman, Campbell, Sweat, & Gielen, 2000), it is important to assess relationships between self-perceptions of risk and actual sexual behaviors among partner violence victims. The purpose of this study is to 1) examine sexual risk behaviors among women who perceive themselves to have no risk and women who perceive themselves to have some risk for HIV, and 2) to examine predictors of self-perceptions of risk among female intimate partner violence victims.

Methods: Findings are from a study of adult women (N = 740) who were recruited from courts after they had obtained a protective order against a male intimate partner. Two groups were developed based on self-reported perceptions of risk for HIV at the time of the interview (n = 438 No risk and n = 302 Some to high risk). Sexual risk behavior and substance use measures were adapted from the Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA) (Coyle, 1993).

Results: The majority of the sample reported not using condoms with their main partner and that their main partner had other sex partners during their relationship. Bivariate analysis found that women in the Some to high risk group reported more months of alcohol use to intoxication and illicit drug use in the past year. Being in the Some to high risk group was associated with some differences in sexual behavior, however, there were no differences by group on the percentage who reported not using condoms with their abusive main partner and other sex partners, and that their main partner was non-monogamous. In a logistic regression the only variables that were significant predictors of self-perceived rating of risk for HIV were illicit drug use and number of sex partners in the past year. Alcohol use, severity of violence, condom use, non-monogamous main partners, and past year STD diagnosis did not predict women's perceptions of risk.

Implications for research and practice: Findings suggest that many women who perceive themselves to be at no risk for HIV engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as not using condoms with non-monogamous partners, and have uncertainty about their partners' use of condoms with other sex partners. Additionally, findings provide evidence that women's assessment of their HIV risk may not be strongly informed by their sexual practices other than the number of sex partners. Professionals who encounter partner violence victims should continually educate women about risks associated with sexual practices with main partners as well as the importance of women in abusive relationships not relying on their partners' monogamy to protect them.