Understanding Risk and Protective Factors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Public Health and Social Advocacy Approach

Mangai Natarajan; Yasemin Irvin-Erickson; Brittany Suh; Susan Nembhard; Lindsay Smith; Yi-Fang Lu

doi:10.1007/s11121-026-01944-w

Back

Understanding Risk and Protective Factors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Public Health and Social Advocacy Approach

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Understanding Risk and Protective Factors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Public Health and Social Advocacy Approach

Mangai Natarajan, Yasemin Irvin-Erickson, Brittany Suh, Susan Nembhard, Lindsay Smith and Yi-Fang Lu

Prevention science

07/01/2026

DOI: 10.1007/s11121-026-01944-w

PMID: 42384124

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-026-01944-wView

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a recurring social problem that has individual, interpersonal, community, and societal level consequences necessitating interdisciplinary knowledge and a holistic, systemic approach for prevention. Recent research on IPV indicates the need to identify the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for IPV risk and subsequent consequences to inform mitigation solutions. Using a mixed-methods design, this rapid assessment research aims to address an existing gap by gathering primary data on the perceived risk and protective factors in addressing IPV through interviews, focus group discussions (n = 102), and surveys (n = 324) from a purposive sample of victim service providers (VSPs) in all US states, Washington, D.C., and five major inhabited territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands). The study findings indicate that existing risk factors have increased, alongside the emergence of new ones at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels. We also identified 35 proactive protection measures that VSPs concocted during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate IPV in their communities. Integrating insights from public health and social advocacy theoretical models, this study provides survivor-centered, community-level solutions to prevent IPV in both public emergencies and non-emergency situations. This research highlights the importance of recognizing the convergence of IPV risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as factors such as the political climate, natural disasters, and health crises-including pandemics-can exacerbate existing risk factors, thereby underscoring the need for prevention efforts more than ever.

Public Health

Mitigation

Prevention

Protective factors

Intimate partner violence

Social advocacy

Risk factors

Details

Title: Subtitle: Understanding Risk and Protective Factors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Public Health and Social Advocacy Approach
Creators: Mangai Natarajan - City University of New York
Yasemin Irvin-Erickson - George Mason University
Brittany Suh - Old Dominion University
Susan Nembhard - The Graduate Center, CUNY
Lindsay Smith - George Mason University
Yi-Fang Lu - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Prevention science
DOI: 10.1007/s11121-026-01944-w
PMID: 42384124
NLM abbreviation: Prev Sci
ISSN: 1573-6695
eISSN: 1573-6695
Publisher: Springer Nature
Grant note: 2127295 / National Science Foundation 2127296 / National Science Foundation
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 07/01/2026
Academic Unit: Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985179683002771

Metrics

1 Record Views