Research on the problem of intimate partner violence has paid limited attention to ethnic minotiry women, including Alaska Native and American Indian women. This project sought to examine the prevalence and incidence against women in a particular Alaska Native group — Ahtna Athabaskan women in the Copper River basin of Alaska — using methods that permit comparison with nationally representative samples.

The goal of phase one of the project was to document historial within-culture attitudes, beliefs, and practice with regard to intimate partner violence against women through ethnographic interviews with Ahtna elders.

The project's second phase had four goals with regard to intimate violence against Ahtna women: (1) to identify the incidence of intimate partner violence; (2) to identify the lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence; (3) to identify factors which correlated with the occurrence of intimate partner violence; and (4) to identify system responses to, and service usage by, victims of intimate partner violence. This phase of the research involved a victimization survey of women in the Ahtna Region.

Reports

Magen, Randy H. and Wood, Darryl S. (Jul 2006). Intimate Partner Violence Against Ahtna (Alaska Native) Women in the Copper River Basin. Report prepared under Grant No. 2000-WT-VX-0013 awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Anchorage, AK: School of Social Work, University of Alaska Anchorage and Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Articles

Wood, Darryl S. and Magen, Randy H. (Apr 2009). "Intimate Partner Violence Against Athabaskan Women Residing in Interior Alaska: Results of a Victimization Survey." Violence Against Women 15(4): 497–507.

Conference papers

Magen, Randy H.; Rolland, Marianne; and Wood, Darryl S. (Jul 2003). "Alaska Native Elders Discuss Domestic Violence." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the 8th International Family Violence Research Conference, Porstmouth, New Hampshire.

Wood, Darryl S. and Magen, Randy H. (Nov 2006). "Intimate Partner Violence Against Athabaskan Women Residing in Interior Alaska: Results of a Victimization Survey." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Los Angeles, California.