African American women survivors of intimate partner violence navigating the intersection of healthcare and law enforcement: A qualitative study

Abstract

Intimate partner violence is a global public health issue impacting millions of people each year. Black women constitute 7% of the United States population, but alarmingly comprise 22% of homicides resulting from intimate partner violence. Due to historical transgressions and trauma, intimate partner violence is uniquely perpetuated in the African American community. Healthcare and law enforcement are central to the care and justice for women who have experienced intimate partner violence, yet studies examining how these resources intersect are lacking. The purpose of this study was to cultivate an in-depth understanding of how individual and familial histories inform how African American women survivors navigate healthcare and law enforcement in the Midwest following intimate partner violence. A descriptive qualitative approach of critical ethnography informed the study. Black feminism and standpoint and intersectionality theories were chosen as frameworks to underpin the study. Fourteen African American women were recruited from the Midwest and participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to guide data analysis. Three major themes were identified: 1) Cumulative Trauma, 2) Navigation of Systems, and 3) Equity and Justice for African American Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence. In the first theme, the women shared their lifetime cumulative experiences of witnessing and experiencing violence in their neighborhoods, within their families, and in their relationships. In the second theme, the women explained how their cumulative trauma and previous experiences with violence informed their beliefs about what qualified as intimate partner violence. The previous experiences with violence also influenced how and if they sought help from these systems of healthcare and law enforcement after experiencing intimate partner violence. The final theme presents recommendations from the women regarding how to improve education and practice among healthcare and law enforcement professionals. The women’s narratives emphasize the need for community-informed interventions to break cycles of intergenerational trauma. Recommendations from the women inform education and practice grounded in intersectionality and cultural safety frameworks.