The influence of violence and sexism on Mexican women who have experienced intimate partner violence

Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila
email: carordz3865@gmail.com

Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila
email: hiram.reyes@uadec.edu.mx
Intimate partner violence has negative short- and long-term effects on the community, primarily on women. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct studies that analyze why a woman decides to seek help in order to break the cycle of violence. This study aims to explain the effect of the prevalence and severity of different types of violence, levels of sexism, and domestic violence experienced during childhood on the formal and informal help-seeking patterns of Mexican women who requested support from a social organization. A non-probability sample of 70 women with a mean age of 35 years (SD = 9.90) participated in this research. The results showed the importance of minor and severe injuries in the decision to seek formal services. In turn, levels of sexism and violence experienced or observed within the family do not impact any type of help (formal or informal). This study demonstrates the importance of analyzing this type of population to better understand the phenomenon of intimate partner violence and how help-seeking functions differently.
Álvarez-Hernández, L. R., Cárdenas, I. y Bloom, A. (2022). COVID-19 Pandemic and Intimate Partner Violence: an Analysis of Help-Seeking Messages in the Spanish-Speaking Media. Journal of Family Violence, 37, 939-950. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-021-00263-8
Ameral, V., Palm, K. M. y Hines, D. A. (2017). An analysis of help-seeking patterns among college student victims of sexual assault, dating, violence, and stalking. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 00(0), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517721169
Ansara, D. y Hindin, M. (2010). Formal and informal help-seeking associated with women’s and men’s experiences of intimate partner violence in Canada. Social Science & Medicine, 70, 1011-1018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.12.009
Anyemedu, A., Tenkorang, E. Y. y Dold, P. (2017). Ghanaian Women’s Knowledge and Perceptions of Services Available to Victims of Intimate Partner Violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(3-4), 682-706. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517689886
Argibay, J. C. (2009). Muestra en investigación cuantitativa. Subjetividad y Procesos Cognitivos, 13(1), 13-29. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=339630252001
Barret, B. J., Peirone, A. y Cheung, C. H. (2020). Help Seeking Experiences of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada: the Role of Gender, Violence Severity and Social Belonging. Journal of Family Violence, 35, 15-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00086-8
Bott, S., Guedes, A., Ruiz-Celis, A. P. y Mendoza, J. A. (2021). La violencia por parte de la pareja íntima en las Américas: una revisión sistemática y reanálisis de las estimaciones nacionales de prevalencia. Pan American Journal of Public Health, 45(34), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2021.34
Calvete, E., Corral, S. y Estévez, A. (2007). Factor structure and validity of the revised conflict tactics scales for Spanish woman. Violence against Woman, 13(10), 1072-1087. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801207305933
Canto, J. M., Vallejo-Martín, M., Perles, F. y San Martín, J. (2020). The Influence of Ideological Variables in the Denial of Violence Against Women: The Role of Sexism and Social Dominance Orientation in the Spanish Context. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17144934
Carney, J. R. (2024). A Systematic Review of Barriers to Formal Supports for Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence in Spanish-Speaking Countries in Latin America. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 25(1), 526-541. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231156196
Carney, J. R., Martínez-Torteya, C., Miller-Graff, L. E., Gilliam, H. y Howell, K. (2023). A Thematic Analysis of Barriers to and Facilitators of Wellbeing and Resource Access for IPV-Exposed, Pregnant Women in México. J Fam Viol, 38, 1377-1389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-022-00450-1
Celina Oviedo, H. y Campo-Arias, A. (2005). Aproximación al uso del coeficiente alfa de cronbach. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría, 34(4), 572-580.
Cheng, S.-Y., Wachter, K., Kappas, A., Brown, M. L., Messing, J. T., Bagwell-Gray, M. y Jiwatran-Negron, T. (2020). Patterns of Help-seeking Strategies in Response to Intimate Partner Violence: A Latent Class Analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(9-10), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520966671
Cinquegrana, V., Marini, M. y Galdi, S. (2022). From Endorsement of Ambivalent Sexism to Psychological IPV Victimization: The Role of Attitudes Supportive of IPV, Legitimating Myths of IPV, and Acceptance of Psychological Aggression. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.922814
Cortina, J. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(1), 98-104. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-9010.78.1.98
Cuesta-García, A. y Crespo, M. (2022). Barriers for help-seeking in female immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence: A systematic review. Journal of Victimology, 14, 33-59. https://doi.org/10.12827/RVJV.14.01
Decker, M. R., Holliday, C. N., Hameeduddin, Z., Shah, R., Miller, J., Dantzler, J. y Goodmark, L. (2019). “You Do Not Think of Me as a Human Being”: Race and Gender Inequities Intersect to Discourage Police Reporting of Violence against Women. J Urban Health, 96(5), 772-783.
Ellsberg, M., Quintanilla, M. y Ugarte, W. J. (2022). Pathways to change: Three decades of feminist research and activism to end violence against women in Nicaragua. Global Public Health, 17(11), 3142-3159. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2022.2038652
Evans, K. E., Schmidt-Sane, M. M., Bender, A. E., Berg, K. A. y Holmes, M. R. (2022). Children’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Acceptance or Appraisals of IPV: A Systematic Review. Journal of Family Violence, 37, 1301-1319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-021-00318-w
Evans, M. A. y Feder, G. S. (2014). Help-seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: a qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support. Health Expectations, 19, 62-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12330
Frías, S. M. y Agoff, M. C. (2015). Between support and vulnerability: Examining family support among women victims of intimate partner violence in Mexico. Journal of Family Violence, 30(3), 277-291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-15-9677-y
Frías, S. M. (2022). Intimate Partner Violence Dynamics and Help Seeking Among Mexican Women: Results From a 2016 National Household Survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(5-6), 2681-2704. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520938502
García, C. C. y Monreal, M. M. (2017). Creencias del amor romántico y violencia de género. International Journal of Development and Educational Psychology, 2(1), 47-56. https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2017.n1.v2.917
George, D. y Mallery, P. (2016). IBM SPSS Statistics Step by Step. A Simple Guide and Reference (14.a ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Gracia-Leiva, M., Puente-Martínez, A., Ubillos-Landa, S. y Páez-Rovira, D. (2019). Dating violence (DV): a systematic meta-analysis review. Anales de Psicología, 35(2), 300-313. https://dx.doi.org/10.6018/analesps.35.2.333101
Glick, P. y Fiske, S. T. (1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491-512. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.491
Harris, K., Palazzolo, K. y Savage, M. (2012). ‘I’m not a sexist, but...’ How ideological dilemmas reinforce sexism in talk about intimate partner violence. Discourse & Society, 23(6), 643-656. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926512455382
Hedge, J. M., Sianko, N. y McDonell, J. R. (2017). Professional Help-Seeking for Adolescent Dating Violence in the Rural South: The Role of Social Support and Informal Help-Seeking. Violence Against Women, 23(12), 1442-1461. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216662342
Herrero, J., Rodríguez, F. J. y Torres, A. (2017). Acceptability of Partner Violence in 51 Societies: The Role of Sexism and Attitudes Toward Violence in Social Relationships. Violence Against Women, 23(3), 351-367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216642870
Holmes, M. R., Berg, K. A., Bender, A. E., Evans, K., O’Donnell, K. y Miller, E. (2022). Nearly 50 Years of Child Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Empirical Research: Evidence Mapping, Overarching Themes, and Future Directions. Journal of Family Violence, 37, 1207-1219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-021-00349-3
Hulley, J., Bailey, L., Kirkman, G., Gibbs, G. R., Gomersall, T., Latif, A. y Jones, A. (2023). Intimate Partner Violence and Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Immigrant Women: A Qualitative Metasynthesis of Global Research. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 24(2), 1001-1015. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211050590
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía. (2021). Encuesta Nacional sobre la Dinámica de las Relaciones en los Hogares. https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/endireh/2021/doc/endireh2021_presentacion_ejecutiva.pdf
Lelaurain, S., Graziani, P. y Lo Monaco, G. (2017). Intimate Partner Violence and Help-seeking: A Systematic Review and Social Psychology Tracks for Future Research. European Psychologist, 22(4), 263-281. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000304
Leonardsson, M. y San Sebastián, M. (2017). Prevalence and Predictors of Help-Seeking for Women Exposed to Spousal Violence in India – A Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Women's Health, 17(99), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-017-0453-4
Liang, B., Goodman, L., Tummala-Navarra, P. y Weintraub, S. (2005). A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Help-Seeking Process Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 36, 71-84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-005-6233-6
Lyons, M. y Brewer, G. (2022). Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence During Lockdown and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Family Violence, 37, 969-977. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-021-00260-x
McClearly-Sills, J., Namy, S., Nyoni, J., Rweyemamu, D., Salvatory, A. y Steven, E. (2016). Stigma, Shame and Women’s Limited Agency in Help-Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence. Global Public Health, 11(1-2), 224-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2015.1047391
Ramiro-Sánchez, T., Teresa, M. T., Paz, M. y Buela-Casal, G. (2018). Sexism in Adolescent Relationships: A Systematic Review. Psychosocial Intervention, 27(3), 123-132. https://doi.org/10.5093/pi2018a19
Ravi, K. E., Robinson, S. R. y Schrag, R. V. (2022). Facilitators of Formal Help-Seeking for Adult Survivors of IPV in the United States: A Systematic Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(5), 1420-1436. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838021995954
Sardinha, L., Maheu-Giroux, M., Stöckl, H., Meyer, S. R. y García-Moreno, C. (2022). Global, Regional, and National Prevalence Estimates of Physical or Sexual, or Both, Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in 2018. Lancet, 399, 803-813. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02664-7
Satyen, L., Rogic, A. C. y Supol, M. (2019). Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking Behaviour: A Systematic Review of Cross-Cultural Differences. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 21, 879-892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0803-9
Straus, M. A., Hamby, S. L., Boney-McCoy, S. y Sugarman, D. B. (1996). The Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2): Development and Preliminary Psychometric Data. Journal of Family Issues, 17(3), 283-316. https://doi.org/10.1177/019251396017003001
Tenkorang, E. Y., Owusu, A. Y. y Kundhi, G. (2018). Help-Seeking Behavior of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana: The Role of Trust and Perceived Risk of Injury. Journal of Family Violence, 33, 341-353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-018-9959-2
Tenkorang, E. Y., Sedziafa, A. P. y Owusu, A. Y. (2017). Does Type and Severity of Violence Affect the Help-Seeking Behaviors of Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Nigeria? Journal of Family Issues, 38(14). https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X16657128
Vaamonde, J. y Omar, A. (2012). Validación argentina del inventario de sexismo ambivalente. Alternativas en Psicología, 16(26), 47-58. https://pepsic.bvsalud.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1405-339X2012000100005
Wachter, K., Cook, L., Dalpe, J. y Spitz, A. (2021). “Where is the Women’s Center Here?”: The Role of Information in Refugee Women’s Help Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence in a Resettlement Context. Violence Against Women, 27(12-13), 2355-2376. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801220971364
Willie, T. C., Bastida, C., Diaz, C., Scolese, A., Campos, P. A., Falb, K. L. y Gupta, J. (2020). Socioecological Determinants of Community Resource Utilisation Among Low-Income Women in Mexico City Who Experienced Male-to-Female Intimate Partner Violence. Global Public Health, 15(11), 1627-1638. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2020.1775868
Copyright (c) 2025 Pensando Psicología

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
As the author of the article, I declare that is an original unpublished work exclusively created by me, that it has not been submitted for simultaneous evaluation by another publication and that there is no impediment of any kind for concession of the rights provided for in this contract.
In this sense, I am committed to await the result of the evaluation by the journal Pensando Psicología before considering its submission to another medium; in case the response by that publication is positive, additionally, I am committed to respond for any action involving claims, plagiarism or any other kind of claim that could be made by third parties.
At the same time, as the author or co-author, I declare that I am completely in agreement with the conditions presented in this work and that I cede all patrimonial rights, in other words, regarding reproduction, public communication, distribution, dissemination, transformation, making it available and all forms of exploitation of the work using any medium or procedure, during the term of the legal protection of the work and in every country in the world, to the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia Press.