Breaking the Cycle: Tackling Systemic Challenges to End Intimate Partner Violence

By: Joanne Morrison

Tania Araya Headshot 1Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a devastating societal issue that affects individuals across the globe, transcending geographic, economic, and demographic boundaries. Yet, certain groups, particularly those from marginalized communities, face a disproportionately higher risk and suffer more severe consequences.

Tania Araya, MSW, a notable expert and 1995 alumna of the University of Maryland School of Social Work, addressed these concerns in her keynote speech during the school’s recent homecoming event. Araya is the director of programs at TurnAround, Inc., responsible for the oversight, development, and management of legal advocacy, case management, and economic empowerment programming for survivors of human trafficking and sexual and intimate partner violence in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County.

In her presentation, Araya highlighted the systemic obstacles that hinder the effective prevention and treatment of IPV.“ We need to be really honest about what those barriers are” she emphasized, outlining the critical need for a frank and comprehensive discussion on this topic.

What Is IPV?

WHO reports that globally, about 30 percent of women, or one in three, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual IPV. This statistic reflects the experiences of women ages 15 to 49 who have been in a relationship, revealing a grim reality that nearly a third of women worldwide face violence from their intimate partners.

IPV encompasses behaviors within intimate relationships that cause physical, sexual, or psychological harm. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these behaviors include physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behaviors. Shockingly, WHO reports that globally, about 30 percent of women, or one in three, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual IPV. This statistic reflects the experiences of women ages 15 to 49 who have been in a relationship, revealing a grim reality that nearly a third of women worldwide face violence from their intimate partners. The situation is particularly dire in specific demographics. For example, in Maryland, IPV homicides overwhelmingly affect Black women, who constitute 79% of the victims. This pattern is similarly observed in Baltimore City, where a significant majority of IPV crimes reported involve Black women as victims. These statistics underscore the urgent need for targeted intervention strategies that address the unique challenges faced by these groups.

Heightened Vulnerability

Araya pointed out the heightened vulnerability of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, youths, and racial and ethnic minorities to IPV. She noted that poverty, homelessness, fear of discrimination, police brutality, fear of being outed, stigma, and victim blaming further complicate access to support and resources for these individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, with Baltimore experiencing a 63 percent increase in IPV-related homicides during the pandemic’s peak.

Beyond immediate physical harm, IPV inflicts lasting damage on individuals, families, and communities. Victims may suffer from chronic health issues, and there is often an intergenerational transmission of violence, perpetuating a cycle of abuse and trauma. Addressing IPV among marginalized individuals requires acknowledging and tackling these deep-rooted systemic issues.

Araya stressed the importance of an intersectional approach in understanding and addressing the varied experiences of IPV survivors. Recognizing each survivor’s unique identity is crucial in crafting effective interventions and ensuring access to necessary resources.

During her remarks, Araya discussed the specific challenges faced by disabled andLGBTQ+ community members. Misgendering, institutional barriers, and a general lack of visibility and support exacerbate their vulnerability to IPV. She underscored the urgent need for inclusive support systems that cater to the specific needs of these groups.

She referenced Bureau of Justice data to highlight disparities in the experiences of force and incarceration among racial and ethnic minorities. Many community members, she explained, are hesitant to report incidents of IPV due to a dependency on the abuser for resources, fear of further discrimination, and the stigma associated with being a victim.

The consequences of encountering barriers when seeking help are severe and far-reaching. For instance, when survivors attempt to obtain protective orders, they often face increased risk if the abuser discovers their actions. Such circumstances highlight the critical need for confidentiality and protective measures in the process of aiding IPV victims.

In her concluding remarks, Araya called for a multifaceted strategy to end IPV that includes policy reform, community outreach, and an emphasis on dismantling the structural conditions that perpetuate violence and oppression. She argued that only through a concerted effort to understand and address the systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities can we hope to break the cycle of IPV and foster a safer, more equitable society for all.

Call to Action

Society must engage in a comprehensive, intersectional approach that centers on the experiences of the most vulnerable. Only then can we begin to make significant strides toward ending the cycle of IPV.

Araya’s insights provide a crucial understanding of the complexities surrounding IPV and the systemic challenges that must be overcome. Her call to action is clear: Society must engage in a comprehensive, intersectional approach that centers on the experiences of the most vulnerable. Only then can we begin to make significant strides toward ending the cycle of IPV. Araya has 34 years of service in the field of abuse prevention and treatment with adults and adolescents. She previously worked with the house of Ruth Maryland and held a variety of positions in the Hotline, Shelter, Counseling and Outreach, and Children’sdepartments, where she co-founded and managed the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program. She later managed the Family Violence Response Program at Mercy Medical Center, a hospital-based victim advocacy program serving more than 700 patients each year who experience sexual assault/abuse, domestic violence, and human trafficking. As manager, she was also responsible for providing training, education, and technical assistance to Mercy’s 2,000 healthcare workers on developing screening and treatment protocols for patients presenting with abuse. Arayahas more than 20 years of experience in program development and management as well as curriculum development and training and community education with diverse groups. In 1998, she was qualified as an expert witness with the Baltimore City Circuit Courts and was named Educator of the Year in 2004 by the Maryland Network Against DomesticViolence for her groundbreaking work in providing dating violence education to more than 10,000 Baltimore City and Baltimore County public and private school students. In 2023, she was awarded the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s VisionaryVoice Award for her longstanding work to end sexual violence and promote safe, healthy communities in Maryland.

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