Examining the Relation Between Intimate Partner Violence and Housing Instability by Gender

Abstract Purpose Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) frequently face housing challenges both during and after experiencing abuse. Although previous studies have identified a link between IPV and housing instability, limitations in measurement and sampling have left significant gaps in the existing literature. While controlling for key covariates, this study examined the relation between physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as fear of intimate partners, and three forms of housing instability: difficulty paying rent or mortgage, frequent moves, and homelessness. Additionally, the study explores whether gender moderates these relationships, addressing the research gap of men survivors in previous studies. Methods A series of logistic regression models were used to examine 163,284 adult patients’ electronic health records. Results Emotional abuse significantly increased the odds of all three indicators of housing instability, and all four types of IPV elevated the risk of homelessness. Gender was found to moderate the relationship between IPV and difficulty with rent and mortgage payments. Conclusions Individual and environmental factors emerged as significant predictors of housing instability, highlighting the importance of practitioners using an ecological perspective when screening for and addressing IPV. Practitioners should give increased attention to an individual disclosing emotional abuse, given the significance of emotional abuse in all three models, even without other forms of reported IPV. Future research should include longitudinal studies that focus on the temporal ordering of the complex association between IPV and housing instability.