NCJ Number
228968
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 15 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 1311-1330
Date Published
November 2009
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study examined the extent to which the role of social isolation in intimate partner violence (IPV) varied by urban/rural context.
Abstract
This study assessed the varying influences that social isolation might have on IPV within rural and urban contexts. While the rates of intimate partner murders have decreased in metropolitan counties, they have increased in rural counties. Male unemployment is a risk factor within rural communities, with the amount of help women receive as a significant factor in reducing IVP. Findings reveal some similarities in risk and protective factors; heavy drinking significantly increased IPV, and Black women experience a higher rate of IPV across both metro and nonmetro areas. Increasing age is a factor in decreasing the risk of violence. Generally, the study found little difference in the prevalence of IPV across urban and rural areas, but did reveal that social isolation was a compounding factor. Data from the National Survey From Households were used for the study. Questions concerning IPV were correlated with county identifiers drawn from the Census of Population and Housing. Tables, notes, and references