“It’s Hard to Look at All Our Trauma All at Once”: What Personal Narratives Reveal About the Triple Burden of Intimate Partner Violence, Substance Use, and Homelessness

Author

• Céline E. Guedj, School of Social Work, University of Southern Maine

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

First Advisor

Dr. Rachel Casey

Second Advisor

Dr. Jeanette Andonian

Third Advisor

Dr. Donna Wampole

Abstract

Scope of the Problem

Intimate partner violence constitutes a pervasive public health issue, impacting nearly half of all women in the United States, about 61.7 million, over the course of their lifetime (Leemis et al., 2022). For Black, Latina, Indigenous and Asian Women, these rates are even higher. The majority of women of color will experience intimate partner violence, including nearly 2 out of 3 mutiracial women, demonstrating a grave overrepresentation amongst victims (Leemis et al., 2022). A study of college students found that LGBTQ women are even more likely to be targeted by abusive partners than their cis and straight counterparts (Whitfield, 2023). Bisexual women and transgender students reported the highest rates of all forms of intimate partner violence when viewed in a silo, but when multiple intersections were accounted for, Black Transgender women experienced the highest rates of IPV than any other intersecting identities (Whitfield et al., 2023).   ....

Comments

Kiersten Mulcahy, LCSW (External Member, Preble Street Director of Teen Shelter & Outreach Services)

Recommended Citation

Guedj, Céline E., "“It’s Hard to Look at All Our Trauma All at Once”: What Personal Narratives Reveal About the Triple Burden of Intimate Partner Violence, Substance Use, and Homelessness" (2026). All Student Scholarship. 466.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/etd/466