Increased efforts are needed to understand disclosure of intimate partner violence in minority women so that service providers can tailor services and ways to encourage disclosure with appropriate strategies based on women's culture. Further research is needed to understand the lived experiences of minority women, including Mexican-American women living in intimate partner violence.

This study on the disclosure decision process of abuse by women of Mexican descent provides some understanding on the cultural or situational factors that hindered or encouraged disclosure; ultimately this knowledge can help healthcare providers and others to provide for the woman's health, welfare, and safety.

While intimate partner violence (IPV) has been acknowledged as a national public health concern, little research exists that directly assesses differential exposure to IPV for distinct ethnoracial groups. The current study compared the rate, severity, and type of IPV exposure across samples of White, African American, and Latina women (N = 180). Participants reported rates of exposure to violence on measures of physical assault, psychological aggression, injury, and sexual coercion; each subscale contained items denoting both mild and severe levels of violence. Multiple regression analyses indicated that women's frequency of exposure to sexual coercion, and severe and injurious violence significantly differed based on participants' ethnoracial identification, such that Latina women experienced disproportionate levels of violence relative to White and African American peers. Mothers' monthly income, level of education, general health, and relationship status also emerged as significant predictors of violence exposure. Results support the development of culturally sensitive adaptations of IPV interventions, targeting not only Latina populations but also women who are single, low-income, and educationally underserved.

Latina immigrant women are vulnerable and may experience higher levels of interpersonal or intimate partner violence (IPV) due to their immigrant status and cultural emphasis on familism. The concept of empowerment within the cultural context of Latina immigrant women experiencing IPV was analyzed using a modified version of Walker and Avant's concept analysis technique. The technique considers usage and definitions in the literature, antecedents, attributes, empirical referents, and the inclusion of a model and contrary case. This analysis encompasses a comparative approach and includes a discussion of how the definition of empowerment compares across the nursing literature. Defining attributes include reciprocal relationships, autonomy, and accountability. Antecedents comprise willingness to learn and motivation to create change. Consequences encompass self-esteem, self-efficacy, and competence for making life decisions. Empowerment has the potential to improve total well-being, having a positive and profound impact on the lives of women experiencing IPV.

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