Unveiling the Unknown: Understanding Intimate Partner Violence Among Immigrants in the United States

Background and Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pressing global social and public health issue profoundly impacting individuals in the short and long term. Despite its widespread prevalence, comprehensive data on IPV among immigrant populations for both males and females in the United States remains scarce. In this study, we aimed to address this literature gap by examining physical (PV) and psychological (PA) IPV prevalence rates among selected U.S. English or Spanish-speaking immigrant survivors and to identify their likelihood of experiencing PV and PA based on demographic characteristics.

Methods: This study utilized the latest national IPV data from the 2015 National Intimate and Sexual Violence Survey. The final sample size of English—and Spanish-speaking male and female immigrants in the U.S. for this study was 1,121 participants. Binary logistic regression at 95% CI was executed to predict the presence of PA or PV based on different demographic variables. The two dependent variables, the presence of PA and the presence of PV were each recoded dichotomously as 1 = present and 0 = absent. This was determined if a respondent indicated one or more partners had perpetrated a particular violent behavior for one of the measures for PA and PV, respectively. Independent variables were recoded accordingly for education level, origin, birth continent, years in the U.S., age, marital status, living arrangements, and primary language. Using IBM SPSS Version 19, descriptive statistics were completed to identify the study sample's characteristics and calculate the national prevalence PA and PV rates.

Results: The prevalence rate of PA was 23.5%, while PV was 21.3%. The odds of experiencing PA were significant at 95% CI if divorced/separated/widowed (aOR .319 [.205, .495]), never married (aOR .383 [.242, .605]), cohabitating (aOR .396 [.233, .676]), took survey using Spanish (2.035 [1.151, 3.596]), born in South Asia (5.788 [1.828, 18.328]) or age 65 or older (3.147 [1.065, 9.299]). The odds of experiencing PV were significant at 95% CI if divorced/separated/widowed (aOR .436 [.279,.681]), never married (aOR .583 [.359, .946]), cohabitating (aOR .429 [.253, .729]), took survey using Spanish (1.894 [1.046, 3.427]), attained a 4-year degree (2.094 [1.062, 4.130]), born in South Asia (14.514 [2.88, 72.945]), or in East Asia (4.942 [1.361, 17.944]).

Conclusions/Implications: These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of IPV experiences within immigrant communities in the U.S. By revealing that PA is more prevalent than PV, it highlights the urgency of recognizing and addressing non-physical forms of abuse in our communities. Demographic factors such as marital status, age, education, living arrangements, continent of origin, and survey language contribute to varying odds of immigrants experiencing PA and PV. Shedding light on the nuanced dynamics of IPV among immigrants, potential areas of tailored interventions and violence prevention strategies to address the diverse needs of this under-studied population are unveiled. Ultimately, the community we strive to create is one where everyone can thrive free from violence.