An Intersectional Analysis of Trauma Bonding In Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review

Background: Trauma bonding refers to a complex emotional attachment that can develop between an abused individual and their perpetrator, often sustained through the manipulation of affection and control to create conditions of psychological entrapment. Although existing research increasingly recognizes trauma bonding as a maladaptive coping response among victims and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), limited attention has been given to the role of intersectional identities in shaping these diverse experiences. This scoping review addresses this gap by examining how factors such as income, race, ethnicity, immigration status, educational attainment, and religious and cultural identities influence trauma bonding among female victims and survivors of IPV.

Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and adopted a five-stage scoping review framework. We conducted a systematic search for literature across ten databases using EBSCOhost: Academic Search Complete, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Sociological Collection, Women’s Studies International, Gender Studies, and Google Scholar. The search strategy incorporated keywords such as domestic violence, intimate partner violence, trauma bonding, Stockholm syndrome, and intersectionality. We limited results to English-language publications from 2015 to 2026, and included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies. For study selection, three reviewers independently screened all the titles, abstracts, and full-text articles during the initial phase using Covidence. The team then conducted a collaborative synthesis of findings and carried out independent inductive analyses to identify emergent themes.

Results: The search yielded 944 records. After removing duplicates 910 studies were screened by titles and abstracts, and 19 were selected for full-text review. 14 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four major themes were identified: (1) Multidimensional manifestations of trauma bonding; (2) Cultural narratives and the normalization of abuse-linked attachment (3) Strategic exploitation of intersectional identities by perpetrators to sustain trauma bonding (4) Structural, religious, and socio-cultural factors amplifying entrapment within trauma bonds. Studies highlighted how perpetrators use strategic manipulation reinforced by intersecting socio-cultural, economic, and structural forces to sustain trauma bonding.

Conclusions and Implications: This study demonstrates that trauma bonding is a multifaceted phenomenon, shaped by intersecting identities that sustain survivors’ complex attachments to perpetrators. Therefore, integrating an intersectional perspective with trauma-informed care is pertinent for understanding these dynamics. Further, researchers and service providers should prioritize culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions that address survivors lived contexts, support the disruption of trauma bonds, and promote safe and equitable pathways to safety, autonomy, and healing of survivors from diverse backgrounds.