Intimate Partner Violence Essay

I have often been asked why social problems like alcohol abuse, suicide, and domestic violence disproportionality affect First Nation Peoples. Regarding Intimate Partner Violence, I believe that Indigenous women are disproportionally affected because of their low economic status. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in North America is a problem that can affect anyone despite, race, religion, or socioeconomic status. The data available suggest that First Nations women are more likely to experience IPV in their lifetime, with 46% -91% of Native woman experiencing violence compared to the 7-51% of their non-native counterparts (Nason-Clark, 2004)
In a study of eight indigenous regions of Mexico researchers interviewed women about experienced IPV, history of family violence, level of poverty in the community, type of municipality and sociodemographic characteristics (Santiago ,2013). They found that the women in these communities who reported higher levels of Intimate Partner Violence also were more likely to have low levels of education, had married young , had elevated levels of alcohol consumption, and had a poorer household (Santiago, 2013). Those in lower socioeconomic positions of the indigenous communities analyzed were also more likely to experience severe intimate partner violence; Which includes

In 49 interviews of indigenous women who have experienced IPV and Health care professionals in the community with indigenous background researchers documented reoccurring themes of oppression, sub oppression and colonization. In fact, 76%s of respondents viewed IPV as a social norm (Bernette, 2017). Income and poverty were not a dominant factor in this study when interviews were coded, as over half of the 29 reporting victims had a Bachelor degree or higher (Bernette,