Do Anti-immigration Rhetoric and Policy Impact Reporting of Intimate Partner Violence To Police Among Latina/e Survivors in the United States? A Comparative Interrupted Time Series Study
摘要
Latina/e women in the United States (US) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at similar or lower rates than other women but worse IPV-related health outcomes, perhaps due to barriers to help-seeking. IPV reporting to police is one avenue through which survivors can achieve safety. However, increased anti-immigration rhetoric and policy during the first Trump presidential campaign and administration (June 2015 – December 2020) contributed to documented decreases in health services utilization among Latino/es in the US and raised concerns of a chilling effect on Latina/e survivors’ IPV reporting to police. However, no studies to date have evaluated this impact nationally. A comparative interrupted time series analysis was conducted using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (Q1 2008 – Q4 2019) to examine the difference-in-difference in the proportion of IPV incidents reported to police between Latina/e and non-Latina/e white survivors before and after the June 2015 Trump Presidential campaign announcement. No differential change was observed for IPV reporting between Latina/e and non-Latina/e white survivors after versus before the 2015 Trump Presidential Campaign. Null results likely reflect persistent low reporting across time among Latina/e survivors that was not sensitive to anti-immigration rhetoric and policy during the first Trump presidential campaign and administration. Alternatively, results may indicate successful advocacy to protect the rights of Latina/e survivors during this time. Future research should examine the potential chilling effect of the second Trump administration and moderation by state and local-level immigration enforcement efforts.