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Other Considerations

Latino Culture

Norms and Acculturation

Cultural norms of the Latino/a community also play a role in the prevalence of IPV. Differences in the manner in which the Latino culture raise their male and female children (e.g. not allowing boys to express emotions, giving boys more liberty and girls more responsibilities) encourage machismo and contributes to the ongoing generational influences in IPV. (16)

  • Machismo: the alpha male stereotype in Latin culture which encompasses such qualities as bravado and responsibility as the decision-maker of the family. (16)
    • Traditional machismo-sexist, aggressive, and hyper masculine
    • Caballerismo- described as chivalrous, family oriented, and nurturing (1).
  • Machismo may be a risk factor when associated with desire, power, and control in the relationship.
  • Men who live in Mexico display more behaviors associated with caballerismo; while men who immigrate to the U.S. display more towards traditional machismo.
  • Marianismo: emphasizes females remaining docile, ignorant about sex, and eager to please men at all cost, as well as enduring infidelity for the sake of the family and children. (27)

Beyond Machismo: http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/hurtado-sinha-beyond-machismo

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning Considerations

Heteronormative models exclude the reality of IPV for the queer communities.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-chiron/how-heteronormative-parad_b_9171030.html

Safety Training Seminar in support of those who are coming out in the LGBTQ community

Other Resources for LGBTQ

http://www.lgbtcenters.org/
http://ventura.networkofcare.org/mh/services/subcategory.aspx?tax=PN-8100.4500-240

Reasons Adults Stay in Abusive Relationships

Victims are frequently blamed for remaining in abusive relationships because there is a common misconception that leaving an abusive partner is easy; yet sometimes, the opposite is true. Leaving an abusive partner is not so straightforward and often complicated by many factors.

  • Cultural Norms or Religious Expectations
  • Children/Family
  • Lack of Financial Resources
  • Lack of Social Support
  • Hope that Partner Will Change
  • Fear of Consequences

Substance Use/Abuse

 

Sexual Assault and Substance Abuse

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2010:

  • 18.3% of women (1 in 5) and 1.4% of men (1 in 71) in the United States had reported having been raped in his/her lifetime
  • 8% of women had experienced drug/alcohol induced victimization (3)
  • 9.4% of women had been raped
  • 16.4% had experienced other unwanted sexual contact by her intimate partner
  • 3.4% had experienced rape by her intimate partner while under the influence of drugs/alcohol (3)

Note: these statistics might be an underrepresentation of the actual number of sexually assaulted victims because rape victims are often hesitant to discuss or report his/her experience.

Studies show that:

    • Substance abuse was a strong predictor of intimate partner perpetration, regardless of type of drug. (26)
    • The use of drugs and alcohol often coexist and increase the chances of the user being threatened or physically attacked. (7)
    • IPV is also more likely to occur in relationships in which one partner is using, and even higher if both partners are using. (15)
    • Substance use had a tendency of co-occurring in intimate relationships. Substances generally include one or more, but is not limited to each of the following:
      • cigarettes
      • marijuana
      • alcohol
      • amphetamines
      • hallucinogens
      • cocaine
      • sedatives
      • opiates (15)
    • Drugs and alcohol are both positively correlated with IPV experiences and are present in approximately 25 to 50 percent of reported cases. (2)
    • A national study of IPV showed that out of 6,002 households:
      • 12% of adults reported incidents of male to female IPV; of that,
      • 10% of women and 22% of men had been using alcohol at the time the violence occurred. (20)
    • Research suggests that women who abuse substances (both drugs and alcohol) have a higher chance of becoming IPV victims. (24)
    • The frequent use of drugs may hinder one’s ability to evaluate or handle situations that might become violent; this impaired judgment and lack of ability to react appropriately to various circumstances might increase the amount of violence a woman experiences. (11)
      • On the other hand, the frequent experiencing of IPV might increase the use of drugs in order to cope with the violence.

Date Rape

The term date rape is sometimes used interchangeably with “acquaintance rape” because the perpetrator is usually someone the victim knows or has been involved with in a non-romantic way. Some drugs typically used by the perpetrator include:

  • Rohypnol- called roofies, lunch money, or mind erasers
  • GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid)- called cherry meth, energy drink, gook
  • Ketamine- called bump, special K, and super acid

These drugs are easily mixed in to drinks and can cause unconsciousness, incoherence, and the inability to remember the details while under the influence; they leave the body quickly and are untraceable by lab tests if not tested right away.

Date Rape Statistics

Additional information

General Safety Precautions

  • Stay alert! Be aware and conscience of your surroundings.
    • Know where your friends are
    • Never leave your drink unattended
    • Walk with a purpose—stand tall, look confident
    • Walk in well-lit areas
    • Avoid walking alone if possible
    • Talk to someone on the phone while traveling, keeping them informed of where you are at
    • Carry pepper spray/mace
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