Preventing IPV from women's perceptions of personal strength and sense of safety

Background: Annually, approximately seven million women report intimate partner violence (IPV), revealing a need to re-conceptualize prevention from a ‘women as victims' perspective. While self-defense literature indicates women's use of resistance to prevent victimization, their resistance remains understudied. This study explores profiles (clusters of relevant variables) and their relationships among women's IPV prevention strategies, perceptions of power, levels of self-efficacy, and relevant demographic characteristics.

Specific Aims: 1a. Explore potential profiles of types of IPV preventions strategies, perceived levels of power, self-efficacy and relevant demographic characteristics among racially/ethnically diverse women (REDW). 1b. Examine the relationships among the IPV prevention strategies, perceptions of power, and levels of self-efficacy among REDW. 2. Determine the difference between high versus low self-efficacy on power and strategies for IPV prevention among REDW.

Methods: IRB approved. Design - descriptive correlational; Site - IPV prevention agency; Sample - 30 women; Inclusion criteria: use of IPV services, age 21+, able to read English, current male partner relationship of at least six months; Exclusion criteria: pregnancy, severe injury requiring hospitalization within prior two weeks of recruitment, inability to provide informed consent; Instruments – Demographic form, Sexual Relationship Power Scale, Self-Efficacy for Battered Women, Intimate Partner Violence Strategies Index; Data collection – online survey on encrypted/password protected laptop. Results: Data collection in progress with analysis performed through descriptive and 2-step cluster analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, ANOVAs/ANCOVAs. Conclusions: Findings may provide foundation for a more effective theoretically and culturally-based IPV prevention intervention that builds upon REDW's strengths and sense of safety.