Contributor – Diana Dupelord, BSN, RN
Recent graduate, Florida International University
At a young age, I viewed intimate partner violence (IPV) as a problem reserved for adults. Based on IPV: A Loop of Abuse, Depression, and Victimization, an increased exposure to IPV during adolescence can be a predictive indicator of interpersonal violence occurring 15 years later due to the developmental period that is characterized by puberty, progressive autonomy, and changes in social relationships (Mazza et al., 2021). As an adolescent, these experiences were shaping me psychologically, later manifesting as an adverse childhood experience (ACE). According to research, exposure to childhood adversity varies in severity and chronicity, with deleterious effects on children’s and adults’ physical, psychological, and social well-being (Lee et al., 2022). The trajectory between IPV and ACE can be elucidated in adulthood through personal relationships, causing victimization and the perpetuation of signs of aggression instilled by fear, confusion, and anxiety. As a nursing student, I had the opportunity to take action to address the effects of IPV across all ages by engaging in community health services and nursing education that prioritizes routine screening, safety plans, and collaboration with community resources.
Violence continues to be shaped by cultural expectations, stigma, and silence that have prevailed in society. A prime example is the context of immigrant women having to cope with issues regarding their cultural integration into another culture, while concurrently feeling bound by their traditional outlooks from their countries of origin, which is an example of the causes and effects that the predisposition of IPV can have. (Mazza et al, 2021). The complexity of violence consists of sequences that exacerbate morbidity of unhealthy outcomes, such as physical and mental health disparities, that can lead to the causes of suicidality. I interpreted how IPV became a public health crisis that continues to emerge through lifetime exposure to trauma. Through personal experience and current research, I illustrate how surviving IPV has shaped my identity as a Caribbean woman and an aspiring nurse scientist.
As a new graduate nurse from Florida International University, I am eager to deepen my commitment to advocating for vulnerable communities. As informed by the decision to pursue a career as a nurse scientist, the challenge of research on violence against women (VAW) is a multifaceted concern that combines ethical considerations with political sensitivity, controversial behaviors, and multiculturalism. Although the typology of violence can be presented as a complex picture, it requires an analytical framework that evaluates the linkages among its various forms: individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. My goals as a nurse scientist are to advance healthcare through theoretical and scholarly inquiry to drive innovation in addressing the pervasive issues of violence against Caribbean households that are underreported. I plan to develop frameworks to improve patient outcomes for underrepresented populations.
The Influences of Intimate Partner Violence in Caribbean Households: Barriers to Seeking Help in Healthcare
The justification, acceptance, and reporting of violence can consecrate the patriarchal values and gender role expectations that can reinforce the structure of male dominance and female subordination. These cultural norms can influence the perception of IPV and the family dynamics it can depict. Early exposure to violence can continue to pose a risk for a lifelong cycle of maltreatment, resulting in the inability to regulate emotions and increased impulsivity. It may create a hostile attribution style (Cenat et al, 2023). The dynamics of IPV in Caribbean households are often dismissed or undervalued because family unity is prioritized over individual safety.
Beyond cultural norms, systemic barriers can cause restrictions for Caribbean and immigrant women to seek help. These systemic barriers may include limited access to healthcare, fear of deportation, language barriers, financial dependence, and mistrust of law enforcement or social services. Many women may fear retaliation from their abuser, but also rejection or shame from their community. According to the research on Latin and Caribbean Immigrant Women’s Experiences with IPV, abuse was viewed as a social norm for some Caribbean families/communities, and women were advised to stay in their abusive relationships by their families and communities. (Álvarez et al., 2021). This sparked controversy due to the enduring hardships that Caribbean women faced daily. Abuse can be viewed as a sign of strength, while seeking help can be portrayed as a betrayal of their abuser, with probable causes of breaking up a family household.
The predictors of gender-stereotype frameworks shape the values of womanhood. In Caribbean culture, a woman’s values are primarily defined by motherhood and the controversy of being a “good wife,” as evidenced by domestic responsibilities around the house (Alvarez et al., 2021). Women’s personal aspirations and identities may be suppressed by their abusers, who foster dependence as a means of control. According to research, many Caribbean women recognized their dependency on their partner as an expectation, and some internalized it as culturally acceptable (Alvarez et al., 2021). This can lead to the projection and perpetuation of violent behavior that can cause a cycle of injustice.
Learning the integration between cultural competency and violence provides insights into how to engage with vulnerable communities effectively. The Butterfield Upstream Model for Population Health (BUMP Health) is a model that frames upstream actions to strengthen prevention services and deliver care in novel ways that improve population health (Nursology, 2019). Dr. Patricia Butterfield’s conceptual models help identify and address the population’s life-course trajectory, which determines individuals’ health across their lifespans. Creating an impact on improving health outcomes can shape how structural care influences systematic change, which, in turn, can influence population-health initiatives that help reduce health inequalities through policy rebuilding and the development of nursing sciences. Nursing interventions that can counsel the point of inflection include integrative IPV assessments training for healthcare workers, culturally tailored approaches through research and policy development, community mobilization, school-based programs that integrate counseling to address ACEs, and batterer intervention programs that can help correct attitudes toward violence and improve health-seeking behaviors (Occean et al., 2021). These interventions reshape health-promoting systems that aim to effect direct changes in the population’s life course. Direct changes can help navigate public health initiatives that significantly affect the prevention and reduction of violence.
References
Butterfield G.P. (2019).Butterfield Upstream Model for Population Health (BUMP Health). Nursology.
Cenat, J.M., Dalexis, R.D., Clormeus, L.A., Lafontaine, M.F., Guerrier, M., Michel, G., & Hebert, M. (2023). Lifetime and Child Sexual Violence, Risk Factors and Mental Health Correlates Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults in Haiti: A Public Health Emergency. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38 (3-4), 2778–2805.
Lee, K., Bright, C.L., & Betz, G. (2022). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Alcohol Use in Adulthood, and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Perpetration by Black Men: A Systematic Review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 23(2), 372–389. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020953101
Occean, J.R., Thomas, N., Lim, A.C., Lovett, S.M., Michael-Asalu, A., & Salinas-Miranda, A.A. (2021). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in Haiti: Understanding Household, Individual, Partner, and Relationship Characteristics. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36 (23-24), 11356–11384. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519898443
Mazza, M., Marano, G., Del Castillo, A.G., Chieffo, D., Monti, L., Janiri, D., Moccia, L., & Sani, G. (2021). Intimate Partner Violence: A Loop of Abuse, Depression, and Victimization. World Journal of Psychiatry, 11(6), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v11.i6.215
Alvarez, C., Lameiras-Fernandez, M., Holliday, C.N., Sabri, B., & Campbell, J. (2021). Latina and Caribbean Immigrant Women’s Experience with Intimate Partner Violence: A Story of Ambivalent Sexism. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(7-8), 3831–3854. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518777006
About Diana Dupelord
Diana Dupelord, BSN, RN, is driven by personal experiences that have curated a deep commitment to supporting those who have experienced interpersonal violence throughout their lives. Through compassion and purpose, she strives to become a Nurse Scientist, dedicated to amplifying the voices of vulnerable populations and advancing nursing research, community engagement, and policy initiatives to help prevent violent acts and promote quality of life worldwide.