Sexual Relationship Power, Intimate Partner Violence, and Condom Use Among Minority Urban Girls

• NCJ Number: 237584
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2008 Pages: 1694-1712
• Author(s): Anne M. Teitelman; Sarah J. Ratcliffe; Mercedes M. Morales-Aleman; Cris M. Sullivan
• Date Published: December 2008
• Length: 19 pages
• Grant Number(s): P30-AI45008
• Sponsoring Agency: Michigan State University; National Institutes of Health; Michigan Dept of Community Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the association between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, and condom use among African-American and Hispanic urban girls.

Abstract

In this sample of 56 sexually active girls, 50 percent did not use condoms consistently and therefore were at higher risk for acquiring HIV or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teens who experienced more intimate partner violence had a significantly higher likelihood of inconsistent condom use and therefore a greater risk for HIV/STDs. Girls' sense of sexual control in their relationships was not directly associated with inconsistent condom use but was inversely related to verbal and emotional abuse. Interventions aimed at reducing HIV/STD risk for adolescent girls need to address patterns of dominance and control in adolescent relationships as well as multiple forms of partner violence. This suggests the need for multilevel intervention approaches that promote girls' agency and multiple ways to keep girls safe from perpetrators of partner abuse. (Published Abstract)