Domestic Violence Victimization from an Intersectional Perspective

• In Event: Sexuality, Policy, and Intersectionality in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Abstract

The correlates of individual characteristics such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation with domestic violence victimization have been studied extensively. However, such studies are usually limited to one or two characteristics and do not take a broad enough look at the way in which these systems of power interact to make people, especially women, more vulnerable to victimization as a combined effect. The perspective of intersectionality allows for a better examination of women’s intimate violence victimization. This paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the domestic violence victimization literature, with a focus on women, examining the effects of race, class, and sexuality; it will use the lens of intersectionality to review these findings in greater depth. Finally, it will provide a road map for future research to use the framework of intersectionality as a theoretical apparatus and an empirical mechanism of analysis to better understand the experiences of domestic violence victims.

Author

• Maja Vlajnic, Northeastern University