Factors Affecting Repeated Incidents of Intimate Partner Violence by Race and Ethnicity

Marybeth J. Mattingly, University of Maryland
Laura Dugan, University of Maryland

Relatively little research has explored the ways womens actions following an incident of intimate partner violence relate to their chances of experiencing subsequent assaults. This study takes a step toward filling the gap by examining how help-seeking behavior and employment consequences relate to the likelihood that a victim experiences a future assault by her partner. We are particularly interested in how these responses and effects vary for women of different racial and ethnic origins. We estimate models to evaluate the relationships between immediate help-seeking behaviors, later employment consequences, and the likelihood of repeated intimate partner violence using longitudinally linked National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data. By recognizing competing predictions (exposure reduction versus retaliation) we plan to determine if women who take actions to reduce their exposure to violence are more or less likely than other victims of intimate partner violence to experience a subsequent incident.