Intimate Partner Violence In Interracial Marriages

Introduction
Despite the significant increase in interracial coupling in recent years, there have been few studies that examine intimate partner violence (IPV) in interracial couples (Carbone-Lopez, 2013; Chartier & Caetano, 2012; Fusco, 2010). This paper was intended to give an overview of current intimate partner violence (IPV) treatments, MFT efficacy working with interracial couples, and IPV in interracial couples. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major societal and public health concern (Babcock, 2004). According to the 2011 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), there are over ten million men and women in the United States experiencing physical violence by a current or former intimate partner each year …show more content…
However, with the increase there has been more research contact on interracial couples, especially White-Black, White-Hispanic and other ethnic minority monoracial couples. Similar findings were reported in several articles. Interracial couple report higher levels of mutual intimate partner violence (Chartier & Caetano, 2012; Martin et al., 2013). IPV is highest among cohabiting couples and lowest between dating couples. Certain common factors that contribute to IPV are marital status, couple’s age, lower education, family history, male alcohol problems and female impulsivity (Chartier & Caetano, 2012; Carbone-Lopez, 2013). Research by Carbone-Lopez (2013) also proposed that certain ethnic minorities had greater acceptance of using violence as a means to settle conflict, and society discrimination or disproval may also add to the violence. Interracial relationships were at greater risk for nonphysical forms of violence such as verbal abuse and control tactics (Carbone-Lopez, 2013). There is still a small number of interracial couples and even less reported intimate partner violence reported in these couples. Some research proposed that the violence could be due to a power differential in interracial couples, however, there is …show more content…
is growing, but they often receive little support (Fusco, 2010). Although previous studies have explored the relationship between low social support and decreased relationship satisfaction in interracial couples, there are few studies on intimate partner violence (IPV) in these couples. Fusco conducted research using all police-reported IPV events across a municipality to examine the differences between IPV in interracial couples compared to monoracial ethnic couples. The findings from her study were interracial couples were more likely to have a history of prior IPV, engage in mutual assault, and result in perpetrator than ethnic minority monoracial couples. Victims of IPV in interracial couples were also more likely to be injured. Martin et al. (2013) examined intimate partner violence (IPV) in interracial and monoracial relationships using a nationally representative sample. Their findings also indicated that interracial couples demonstrated a higher level of mutual IPV than monoracial White couples. There were significant gender differences in IPV, with women reporting lower levels of victimization than men. Cohabiting couples demonstrated the highest levels of IPV, and dating couples reported the lowest