Abused women report greater male partner risk and gender-based risk for HIV: findings from a community-based study with Hispanic women

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual risk in terms of safer sex behaviour and intent, individual and gender-based HIV risk factors, and male partner HIV risk, among a lower-income community-based sample of Hispanic women reporting a current male sexual partner. Baseline survey data on HIV-related behaviours and risk factors gathered from participants (N = 170) of an HIV intervention evaluation study for Hispanic women were used for current analyses. Participants were age 18-36 years, predominantly born outside of the continental US (88.8%) and not English fluent (68.2%). Adjusted logistic regression analyses and 95% confidence intervals were conducted to assess the relationships between male-perpetrated IPV in the past three months and sexual risk variables. One-fifth (21.2%) of the sample reported male-perpetrated IPV in the past three months. Abused women were significantly more likely than those not abused in the past three months to report high STD/HIV risk perceptions (OR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.33-6.88), gender-based risk including sexual control by male partners (OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.41-6.76) and male partner risk including male infidelity (OR = 4.58, 95% CI = 1.57-13.32). Results support the need for emphasis on IPV prevention within HIV prevention programmes and demonstrate the need for HIV prevention efforts directed at men with a history of IPV perpetration.