Overview and Purpose

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are at high risk for repeat victimization. Repeat victimization by an intimate partner increases women's risk of injuries, disabilities, and death. Identifying women who are most at risk is important because it allows for preventive action with both victims and perpetrators. Among those identification methods most successfully used is the Danger Assessment-2 (DA-2), a tool that is both sensitive and specific in identifying women at risk for repeat violent victimization and homicide in heterosexual intimate relationships. The extent to which this important risk assessment tool can predict repeat victimization in female same-sex IPV relationships, however, is unknown.

Our long-range goal is to reduce the risk of negative health outcomes, including fatal and near fatal injuries, among women in same-sex intimate relationships through the development and utilization of effective culturally competent, community-partnered interventions and policies.

The objective for this study is to scientifically evaluate for the first time the effectiveness of a previously validated, frequently used instrument to assess the risk of repeat violent victimization of women in abusive same-sex intimate relationships. This study is highly dependent on consultation from violence-related injury research experts and collaboration with community agencies. Established partnerships ensure our access to a statewide ethnically diverse sample of 248 adult female victims and perpetrators in current or past-year abusive same-sex intimate relationships to participate in focus groups and complete survey questionnaires. The knowledge generated from this pilot study will: 1) provide a validated outcomes instrument for future intervention studies with sexual minority victims and perpetrators; 2) assist health care professionals, domestic violence and victim advocates, law enforcement, the judiciary, and probation officers to promote the health and safety of women from diverse communities; and 3) improve access to culturally appropriate community resources.

The study is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Grants for New Investigator Training Awards for Violence Related Research

Study partners: Bradley Angle House and Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC)

Project contact information: Please feel free to contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Nancy Glass with any questions about this community-partnered study.

Nancy Glass, PhD, MPH, RN, Co-Director, Center for Health Disparities Research, 503-494-6740 or glassn@ohsu.edu.