Intimate partner violence as a determinant of sex risk and substance use in a new generation of urban young men who have sex with men

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Most of the extant literature regarding same-sex IPV is descriptive in nature. As such, few empirical studies have examined how IPV is associated with other risk factors, particularly unprotected sex and substance use. As such, our primary research question was correlational: To what extent does IPV victimization or perpetration uniquely predict sex risk or substance use?

Drawn from a NIH-funded cohort study, the present study examines experiences of IPV along with other psychological and social correlates among a sample of 598 YMSM, age 18-19, in New York City. Participants completed several measures, including: the IPV Scale, and Timeline Follow-back, to assess sex and substance use behaviors.

Using linear regression analyses, we tested several different models to determine which variables significantly predicted sex risk and substance use. IPV constituted victimization or perpetration of verbal, physical, and sexual assaults. Sex risk was defined as unprotected receptive oral, insertive anal, and receptive anal sex in the last 30 days. Substance use was measured by reported alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use in the last 30 days.

Findings suggest that IPV perpetration significantly predicted unprotected receptive oral sex and unprotected insertive anal sex, whereas victimization was not significantly predictive of sex risk. Both IPV perpetration and victimization significantly predicted marijuana use, however neither significantly predicted alcohol or other drug use. Findings are important as they help to inform future prevention efforts, specifically targeting violence, HIV infection, and substance abuse.