A Comparison of Lifetime Interpersonal Violence or Abuse Rates among Mid- to Older-Aged Black and White Females

Few studies investigate lifetime interpersonal violence or abuse (L-IVA) in a lower-income, primarily minority population or in the southeastern United States, therefore we explored several forms of L-IVA among females by race in the South.

Data on L-IVA were collected between 2012-2015 with 22,570 females residing in 12 states in the southeastern U.S. as part of the Southern Community Cohort Study.

After adjusting for differences in age, income, and enrollment source, Black females were 60% less likely to have reported experiencing either adult interpersonal violence or abuse (IVA) or childhood abuse or neglect (CAN) (adjusted rate ratio (aRR)=0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37-0.43) than White females.

In our study, 41% of all females reported adult IPV indicating a need to create an environment where females of all races feel comfortable disclosing L-IVA and screening protocols that include clear and culturally responsive definitions of violence and abuse.