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Background: Evidence indicates that partner violence is associated with STD risk among women, but the reasons remain unclear. Researchers have suggested that in addition to standard sexual risk behaviors, partner-specific sexual risk behaviors (e.g. infidelity, forced sex, coerced non-condom use) may be important in understanding this association.
Objectives: Describe the association between partner violence and sexual risk behaviors (standard and partner-specific) among a sample of 2000 women who sought reproductive services.
Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted of four family planning clinics in the northeast United States. Relationship violence (past year and lifetime) and sexual risk behavior data (coital debut, multiple partners, partner infidelity, partner STD risk, condom use), as reported in women’s sexual health histories, were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between partner violence and sexual risk behaviors (standard and partner-specific).
Results: Slightly greater than 10% reported partner violence in the past year and 28.5% reported lifetime history of violence. Women experiencing past year intimate partner violence were more likely than women with no violence to report partner-specific sexual risk factors- “partner at risk for STDs”, “partner with multiple partners” (odds ratios, 4.9-8.4) and standard sexual risk factors- “had sex without condoms”, “anal sex” (odds ratios, 3.0-5.1).
Conclusions: Intimate partner violence was common among women utilizing family planning services. These findings add to the current knowledge about the association between partner violence and sexual risk (particularly partner-specific behaviors). Results further support the association between STD risk and violence in women.
Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: STD services need to include assessment of both standard and partner-specific sexual risk behaviors. Only by identifying the factors influencing women’s ability to protect themselves, will STD efforts be successful. Partner violence represents a significant barrier to STD prevention efforts and therefore deserves more attention.