Session: Socioeconomic Correlates and Outcomes of Intimate Partner Violence and Homicide (Society for Social Work and Research 25th Annual Conference - Social Work Science for Social Change)

Approximately one third of all U.S. women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) during adulthood, and in some cases, IPV extends beyond physical violence and coercive control and results in death: 1 in 6 homicide victims, and 40% of female homicide victims, are killed by an intimate partner. Addressing individual- and community-level socioeconomic factors may hold promise for reducing IP violence and homicide (IPH). However, compared with other risk factors and outcomes, less research has focused on the socioeconomic correlates and outcomes of IPV and IPH, hampering our understanding of both consequences and intervention and prevention efforts. Thus, with the ultimate goals of preventing IPV and improving outcomes for survivors, their families, and communities, the three papers in this panel examine the socioeconomic correlates and outcomes of IPV and IPH. Each uses at least one large secondary dataset and an analytic approach that is well-suited to its particular purpose. The investigators hail from multiple institutions and include doctoral students, a postdoctoral fellow and social work faculty.

The first paper uses panel data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being study, and fixed effects models to understand the effects of IPV on economic mobility for women, and the possible moderating effects of several key variables: job stability, housing stability, fathers' financial support, job training, and social support. Results suggest that IPV is negatively associated with economic mobility, but that key economic supports may buffer these negative associations. The second paper explores the relationships between community-level economic disadvantage (e.g., unemployment rate, proportion of households receiving public assistance), and IPH, with special attention to rural populations. In addition, drawing from two studies, the presenter will discuss measurement of community-level characteristics in IPH research, with particular focus on the implications of poverty measurements in rural communities. The final paper uses data collected from a longitudinal, randomized control study, which evaluated the impact of a financial literacy program with IPV survivors over 14 months. Employing a Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis, it examines the relationships between multiple forms of abuse and financial strain. Findings indicate that physical and economic abuse are significantly and positively associated with the magnitude of financial strain. Collectively, these three presentations underscore the importance of IPV/IPH research and practice that accounts for socioeconomic contexts, vulnerabilities and needs. Each helps to advance our knowledge of key socioeconomic predictors or consequences of IPV or IPH.

The symposium includes a discussant who is a senior scholar and nationally-recognized expert on IPV, IPH, and intervention research. The discussant will provide critical feedback on each paper and will discuss how results can contribute to ongoing efforts to prevent IP violence, inform policy and social work interventions, and promote positive outcomes for survivors.