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May 24, 2026Psychology of Violence0 citationsOpen Access

“It was a living hell”: Black, Latino, and White U.S. men’s experiences of female-perpetrated intimate partner violence victimization.

JMJennifer L. MezzapelleLRLyric N. RussoDHDenise A. Hines

Key Points

  • This study aims to explore and compare the victimization experiences of Black, Latino, and White U.S. men facing female-perpetrated intimate partner violence.
  • Analyzed quantitative data from 1,194 male victims (299 Black, 596 Latino, 299 White) reporting various IPV types.
  • Conducted thematic analysis on responses from 526 participants about their female partner's behavior.
  • Utilized chi-squared and ANOVA tests to compare experiences among different racial/ethnic groups.
  • Over 50% of victims reported experiencing all forms of IPV.
  • Latino men showed higher rates and frequency of physical IPV and injury compared to White men, and more frequent physical IPV than Black men.
  • Qualitative data revealed consistent experiences among all racial/ethnic groups, despite numerical differences.

Abstract

Objective: Despite the growing body of work on male intimate partner violence (IPV) victims, the experiences of racially/ethnically diverse U.S. men are understudied.The present study explores and compares non-Latino Black, Latino, and non-Latino White U.S. men's victimization experiences with various forms of female-perpetrated IPV.Method: An online sample of 1,194 male victims (299 Black, 596 Latino, 299 White) reported their physical IPV, sexual IPV, physical injury, legal/administrative IPV, and coercive control victimization via quantitative measures.Additionally, 526 participants also responded to an open-ended question regarding additional information about their female partner's behavior; responses were thematically analyzed.Results: Over half of the men in our sample of victims, and each racial/ethnic subsample, reported experiencing each type of IPV.Chi-squared and analysis of variance tests revealed that Latino men reported higher prevalence and frequency of physical IPV, sexual IPV, and injury than White men, as well as a higher prevalence of injury and more frequent physical IPV than Black men.Qualitative analyses provided specific details of the men's experiences not captured by quantitative measures, though Black, Latino, and White men's responses did not thematically differ.Conclusions: Findings suggest U.S. men of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds are vulnerable to IPV victimization and that Latino men may be particularly vulnerable.Continued research is warranted to explore why differences in victimization may exist and whether Latino and Black men face unique IPV-related challenges.Similarly, there is a need for policy, prevention efforts, and support services that consider the experiences of male victims and the culturally specific needs they may have. Public Significance StatementThis study sheds light on the experiences of Black, Latino, and White men in the United States who have experienced intimate partner violence victimization.Specifically, it suggests that male victims from these racial/ethnic backgrounds experience similar forms of victimization, but Latino men report higher prevalence and frequency of certain forms of victimization compared to Black and White male victims.

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Cite This Study

Mezzapelle et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a12958948a0ea1665671915https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000689
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