Experiencing Interpersonal Violence

As part of a larger study, the authors investigated experiences of recent violence among sexually active, substance-using women. Structured interviews were conducted with 172 women living in shelters and low-income housing, 41 of whom also completed an in-depth interview on their worst violent episode. Structured interviews indicated that rape and self-blame were more common among sheltered women. In-depth interviews suggested that sheltered women were vulnerable to instrumental aggression from a range of perpetrators, whereas housed women tended to experience hostile partner aggression. Intoxication during the violent episodes was more common among sheltered women. Implications for violence prevention and treatment services are discussed.