Incidence and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence Affecting Deaf Individuals

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious national problem with estimated fiscal consequences exceeding $5.8 billion. Victims of IPV have high rates of emergency department utilization, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and are at high risk for suicide. The American Deaf community is a linguistic and cultural minority group whose IPV risks, incidence rates, and health consequences have not been studied. Two samples of deaf adults (N=302, N=215), a local sample from a mid-sized city and a geographically diverse sample attending a large national Deaf community event, responded to a computer-administered survey that presented questions and answer choices in American Sign Language, written English, and Signed English. Modeled after the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the survey contained three IPV questions and other relevant questions about emergency department utilization and suicide. The lifetime incidence rates of physical abuse in both deaf adult samples (19% and 22%, respectively) were higher than that reported by a local sample of hearing individuals from the same mid-sized city who responded to the BRFSS (14%). Lifetime incidence of sexual abuse in both deaf samples was much higher than the hearing comparison sample (22% and 14% vs. 6%). Emotional abuse was even more commonly reported (27%, 26%). Reports of physical and sexual abuse within the past year were five to twenty-fold greater in both deaf samples compared to the hearing sample. Numerous statistically significant associations were found in both deaf samples between lifetime experiences of IPV and emergency department utilization and suicidal ideation, plans, or attempts.