Promoting Healthy Families and Relationships: Exploring Domestic Violence and Tribal Community Culture to Inform Best Practices

Domestic violence is prevalent in many American Indian communities, yet American Indian domestic violence research and culturally appropriate and effective interventions are lacking. To better understand domestic violence and inform best practices in one American Indian tribal community, this community-university team utilized quantitative and qualitative data and a Grounded Theory approach to: determine domestic violence prevalence; describe community members’ attitudes, beliefs, and the sociocultural/historical milieu around women and children’s safety; assess existing resources and needs; and identify 1-2 existing evidence based domestic violence interventions that meet local needs and may be appropriately and effectively adapted to local culture and setting.

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