ABSTRACT
This study explored how systems of oppression influence intimate partner violence (IPV) among immigrant Latinos in the United States enrolled in battering intervention programs (BIPs). Utilizing a critical community psychology perspective and Latino Critical Theory, focus groups were conducted with BIP participants and providers to understand participants’ experiences and perceptions of oppression in the United States as they relate to IPV. Thematic analysis identified a number of key aspects in their experiences as follows: (1) the coerced silence of immigrant Latino participants, (2) the criminal legal system’s role in perpetuating oppression, (3) multifaceted disenfranchisement and barriers to resources, (4) financial hardship and economic stress linked to IPV, (5) power and control as binding oppression to IPV and (6) the gendered cultural socialization of Latinos. The findings challenge dominant narratives by highlighting the importance of structural factors in IPV among Latinos and in immigrant communities globally. Given the limited and inequitable availability of culturally appropriate IPV resources for Latinos, battering intervention programs that incorporate an understanding of oppression into their programming can more effectively support Latinx communities impacted by IPV.