A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Narratives Regarding Law Enforcement Responses

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Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an issue that transcends social boundaries. Survivors may provide critical insight into the performance of criminal-legal responses to IPV. The current study presents a qualitative systematic literature review of IPV survivors’ narratives regarding law enforcement responses. Specifically, this study aimed to explore common themes from nontraditional survivors of IPV (i.e., immigrants, LGBTQ+, cisgender-heterosexual men, and rural residents). Seven electronic databases were searched to identify peer-reviewed articles that focused on IPV survivors' narrative descriptions of encounters with law enforcement. After three rounds of coding, a total of nineteen articles were included in the final analysis. Thematic analyses identified unique challenges experienced by nontraditional survivors of IPV as it relates to law enforcement involvement. Additionally, narratives suggest some similarities in law enforcement experiences with more traditional survivors of IPV (i.e., white, heterosexual, middle-class, cisgender women). Though similarities occur, understanding the specific experiences of nontraditional IPV survivors is necessary to meet the needs of these populations and inform support services decisions.

Authors

• Elizabeth R. Clark, University of Houston - Downtown

• Shon M. Reed, Old Dominion University

• Linsey A. Belisle, University of Houston - Downtown