Association of physical violence victimization and social violence exposures among urban black men

BACKGROUND: U.S. black males are disproportionately victimized from physical violence. However, whether their risk for physical violence victimization varies by type of social violence exposure remains largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if street violence involvement, incarceration history, and gang involvement are independently associated with physical violence victimization among a clinical sample of urban black men in Boston.

METHODS: Black male clinic patients ages 18-35 years reporting two or more sexual partners in the past year were surveyed regarding HIV/STD risk behaviors, violence victimization, incarceration history, and other high-risk behaviors (N=703). Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the significant associations between physical violence victimization and past 6-month street violence involvement, gang involvement, and incarceration history, controlling for homelessness, illicit drug use, and past 30-day alcohol use.

RESULTS: Twenty-five percent of respondents reported physical violence victimization (n=178). Thirty percent (n=215) reported past 6-month street violence involvement, 22% (n=155) gang involvement and 57% (n=403) history of incarceration. Men reporting gang involvement were significantly more likely to report physical violence victimization (ORAdj= 2.1, 95% CI=1.5 - 3.1); these findings were consistent for incarceration history (ORAdj=2.8, 95% CI=1.9-4.1) and past 6-month street violence involvement (ORAdj=2.8, 95% CI 1.9-4.0).

CONCLUSIONS: These study findings demonstrate that exposure to all three forms of social violence results in a two-fold increase risk for physical violence victimization. Further analyses need to explore the combined impact of these three types of violence exposures on urban black males' risk for physical violence victimization to guide targeted public health prevention efforts.