Suicidal Ideation as an Additional Risk for Violence Against Women Residing in Shelters: A Clinical Sample Analysis in Hong Kong (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health issue strongly associated with adverse mental health outcomes, including suicidal ideation. Limited research has explored the additional risk profiles for suicidal ideation among shelter-seeking women in Hong Kong. This study analyzed data from a clinical sample of 597 women seeking services in three major shelters for battered women in Hong Kong between 2020 and 2024. Results showed that 48.1% reported suicidal ideation, with an alarming 21.3% classified as high-risk due to frequent suicidal thoughts. Logistic regression analyses identified several significant risk factors across victim, perpetrator, and family levels. Specifically, victims’ lower educational attainment and histories of childhood abuse or neglect; perpetrators’ jealousy, controlling behavior, and depressive symptoms; and family members’ chronic illnesses and gambling addiction further contributed to elevated suicidal risk. These findings highlight the need for holistic, trauma-informed interventions to address individual, relational, and family-level factors in shelter settings. Future research should focus on developing strategies to enhance shelter services and effectively mitigate suicidal risk in this vulnerable population.