Citation

Burke SC, Oomen-Early JS, Rager RC. Fam. Violence Prev. Health Pract. 2009; 1(8): online.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Family Violence Prevention Fund)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Approximately one-third of all women will experience domestic or intimate partner abuse during adulthood. Despite increased public awareness, limited research has been done on this issue, and very few estimates of the incidence and prevalence of this problem among minority populations exist. Although Latinos are now the largest and the fastest growing minority group in the country, few studies have been conducted which focus on intimate partner abuse against Latina women. For this qualitative research study, 15 Latina women above the age of 18, who by self-report were survivors of intimate partner abuse, were recruited via flyers distributed to community organizations and gatekeepers serving the Latina population and victims of domestic abuse in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, including social service agencies, health care services, women’s shelters, domestic abuse services, churches, and universities. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with these participants were conducted. Through the researchers use of grounded theory methodology, themes emerged from analysis of the interview transcripts. Based on these themes, a substantive theory of the process of Latina intimate partner abuse was developed. This abuse process includes four phases: The Pursuit, The Abuse Begins, The Abuse Continues or Escalates, and End of the Abuse or Escape to a New Life. The findings from this grounded theory study, and the abuse process identified from the themes that emerged from it, provide useful information for the provision of culturally appropriate programs and services aimed at domestic violence prevention and intervention for the Latina women, as well as relevant support services for the victims of intimate partner abuse in this population.