Date on Senior Honors Thesis
5-2025
Document Type
Senior Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.S.
Department
Psychological and Brain Sciences
Author's Keywords
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV); Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM); Intersectionality; People of Color (POC); Sexual and Gender Minority Stressors
Abstract
Previous research has found that sexual and gender minority People of Color (SGM-POC) report higher rates of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victimization than White SGM. In a sample of AFAB SGM people, Whitton et al. (2021) found that sexual minority stressors, adverse childhood experiences, and structural inequalities partially explain this disparity. This study replicates Whitton et al.’s study in a sample with greater sexual and gender diversity and extends the study by examining additional SGM stressors as potential mediators. We used data from a large, nationally-recruited sample of same-sex couples to test the indirect effect of race on IPV victimization (physical, psychological, and sexual measured using the SGM Conflict Tactics Scale-2) via several forms of SGM stress (measured using the Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire): discrimination, family-of-origin stress, gender presentation harassment, isolation, vicarious SGM stress, and vigilance; internalized stigma (measured using the Internalized Homophobia Scale-Revised), and low social support (measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Of the 474 participants, 214 (45.1%) were cisgender women, 67 (14.1%) were cisgender men, and 193 (40.7%) were gender minority individuals. Regarding race, n=343 (72.4%) identified as White only, n=78 (16.5%) identified as Black or African American, n=59 identified as Hispanic or Latine, n=24 (5.1%) identified as Asian. Using multilevel logistic regression to account for the nesting of individuals within couples, this study found that race showed no significant relationship between SGM stress, internalized stigma, and low social support to IPV victimization. Future research is needed to refine the measures used to assess SGM stress, internalized stigma, and low social support.
Recommended Citation
Dunn Freeman, Kameryn S., "Intersecting identities and IPV: The impact of sexual and gender minority stressors on intimate partner violence victimization across racial groups" (2025). College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses. Paper 336.
Retrieved from https://ir.library.louisville.edu/honors/336
Lay Summary
Intimate partner violence victimization is physical, psychological, or sexual harm inflicted by a current or former partner. Sexual and gender minority individuals experience higher rates of IPV victimization than cisgender heterosexual individuals. Most research has focused on the prevalence of intimate partner violence in white sexual and gender minority individuals assigned female at birth. The present study helps us better understand the complex differences between people of color with sexual and gender minority identities and expands existing research to include greater sexual and gender diversity. A better understanding of the many differences between Intimate Partner Violence victimization of People of Color who are sexual or gender minority individuals and White sexual and gender minority IPV victimization ultimately encourages research to create more targeted prevention and treatment programs for victims in IPV relationships.
