Intimate partner homicide (IPH) accounts for a large proportion of Latina homicides, however, research in this area is limited. Due to histories of collective trauma and distrust of formal institutions, such as courts or police systems, Latine communities often turn to informal support networks instead. These informal support networks bridge the gap to get survivors life-saving support and access to resources. The current qualitative study involved the analysis of 15 listening sessions and 13 key informant interviews, focusing on IPH prevention and the role of informal support networks. Participants ( n = 90) included Latina survivors of intimate partner violence, advocates, and organizational leaders. Results from the listening sessions and key informant transcripts discuss the use of informal support networks, including their positive and negative aspects among Latina women. Findings suggest that, as part of the help-seeking process, survivors seek support from friends, family, and community leaders first and point to specific recommendations for engaging these informal networks in practice and improving the ways we engage community members for survivor support and response.
Diaz et al. (2026) studied this question.