Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to any form of physical, psychological, and/or sexual harm committed by a current or former partner (CDC, 2003). In heterosexual partnerships, 34.6% of European American women report experiencing IPV, and this rate is even higher for African American women of whom 43.7% reported experiencing IPV. Both physical and non-physical IPV have been associated with increased alcohol/substance use and binge drinking behaviors in women (Smith, Homish, Leonard, & Cornelius, 2012). This association may occur due to IPV survivors forming maladaptive behaviors, such as drinking, in order to cope with their experiences. In addition, socioeconomic factors have shown to be correlated with both increased IPV victimization and alcohol use. Due to African American women being greatly understudied in this area of research, the current study analyzes the relationship between economic factors, alcohol use, and physical and non-physical IPV among a sample of low-income African American women. In this study, participants responded to questionnaires assessing their experiences with physical and non-physical IPV, financial hardship, and alcohol abuse. This poster will present study findings, future research directions, and clinical implications.
