Intimate partner violence among young men who have sex with men: Implications for HIV prevention

Background: HIV rates among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are among the highest – indicating that current prevention efforts are not fully effective. Understanding YMSM's relationship dynamics is crucial for effective intervention development. Research examining intimate partner violence (IPV) among YMSM is limited but suggests that YMSM experience IPV at rates similar to heterosexual females. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that IPV is linked to HIV risk. More in-depth research on the covariates of IPV in YMSM relationships is necessary to develop effective interventions. Methods: This mixed-method study included multiple data collection activities: survey administered to YMSM ages 18-25 (N=101); 6 focus groups; and 24 one-on-one interviews. Results: Survey data indicate high rates of IPV- including behaviors that would be considered sexual abuse. Twenty-nine percent reported making their partner have sex without a condom and a third reported their partner making them have sex without a condom; 36% reported insisting on sex when their partner did not want to and about 10% reported being forced to have sex. These behaviors are related to other HIV risks (e.g., substance use, unprotected sex) at the bivariate level (p<.05). Qualitative data indicate that issues such as internalized homophobia, power, and normalization of violence are important to understand for intervention development. Conclusion: Given that the majority of HIV transmission occurs in primary partner relationships, understanding the relationship dynamics of YMSM is imperative for intervention development. Developing evidence-based interventions addressing IPV among YMSM may be an innovative approach for HIV prevention.