Patterns and Trends Among Intimate Partner Homicide Cases: An Analysis by Victim’s Sex and Race/ethnicity

Data suggest sex and race/ethnicity disparities in intimate partner homicide (IPH) and different trends in the IPH rates over time by sex and racial/ethnic groups. It is, however, less clear how to explain the disparities using the existing literature. This dissertation investigates the patterns and trends among IPH cases with a focus on differences within and between victims’ sex and race/ethnicity subgroups using the National Violent Death Reporting System, Restricted Access Database (NVDRS-RAD). Data were linked to Census and policy data using the geographic indicator in the NVDRS-RAD. Latent class analysis (LCA) and mixed-effects modeling were performed to identify patterns of case characteristics of IPHs and to investigate the differential impacts of policies on subgroups over time. The findings suggest heterogeneity in IPHs and distinct factors of the IPH rate by victim’s identity markers, underscoring the utility of intersectionality frame in analyzing social policies. Results of the analysis indicate the complexity of IPV issues and their connectedness with multiple systems including health systems, legal systems, welfare resources, and social service