2167.0 - Reimagining Safety: Survival Strategies of Black Women Facing Intimate Partner Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Program: Family Violence Prevention Caucus

Session: A Focus on Equity: Addressing Family Violence Among Highly Impacted Groups

Author: Shannon Whittaker

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Abstract

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women in the United States (US) faced higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and more severe IPV-related consequences. National lockdowns forced survivors to stay in their homes with their abusive partners, thereby restricting access to support services and increasing their vulnerability to IPV. Although IPV gained significant attention during the pandemic, there was a lack of focus on the safety strategies Black women employed to protect themselves as they navigated multiple systems of oppression. This study aims to explore the safety strategies used by Black women IPV survivors as they navigated various forms of oppression during the COVID-19 crisis.

Methods

Fifty US Black women IPV survivors were recruited to participate in a one-time, semi-structured, 45 – 60 minute interview between January 2021 and April 2021. Interview topics included experiences with relationship conflict and housing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze all transcripts.

Results

Black women IPV survivors utilized several strategies to stay safe from physical, psychological, and/or financial abuse. Some strategies were used to deescalate; however, others were used as precautionary steps to avoid imminent abuse. To deescalate, Black women IPV survivors: 1) self-silenced, 2) created distance by leaving places the abusive partner occupied, and 3) sought informal (e.g., family) and formal (e.g., law enforcement) resources to intervene. To avoid imminent abuse, Black women IPV survivors: 1) found a second place to go to when they anticipated violence, 2) changed their daily routines, 3) hid money, food, or other resources around the house, and 4) kept their children away from their abusive partner.

Conclusion

Updated policies and programs could help to prepare IPV survivors for future pandemics in which they may experience limited access to resources. For example, law enforcement officers should be trained to respond to Black IPV survivors, including connecting them to appropriate services. Domestic violence shelters should receive funding to increase their number of rooms to accommodate more survivors, especially with large families, during national lockdowns. Safety planning with survivors should include their families.