Intimate partner victimization and drug use in queer men’s sexual networks: Applying novel exponential random graph models (Dissertation Paper)


Ph.D. thesis


Brandon M. Craig

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APA   Click to copy
Craig, B. M. Intimate partner victimization and drug use in queer men’s sexual networks: Applying novel exponential random graph models (Dissertation Paper) (PhD thesis).


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Craig, Brandon M. “Intimate Partner Victimization and Drug Use in Queer Men’s Sexual Networks: Applying Novel Exponential Random Graph Models (Dissertation Paper),” n.d.


MLA   Click to copy
Craig, Brandon M. Intimate Partner Victimization and Drug Use in Queer Men’s Sexual Networks: Applying Novel Exponential Random Graph Models (Dissertation Paper).


BibTeX   Click to copy

@phdthesis{brandon-a,
  title = {Intimate partner victimization and drug use in queer men’s sexual networks: Applying novel exponential random graph models (Dissertation Paper)},
  author = {Craig, Brandon M.}
}

Intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionately affects sexual minority men (SMM), yet research has not fully examined the role of social and sexual networks in shaping IPV risk. This study employs an egocentric network approach using secondary data from the RADAR study (2015–2018) to analyze how IPV victimization among queer men is associated with sexual network composition and illicit drug use within partnerships. Guided by syndemic and social complexity theories, I assess differences in network degree, homophily, and the co-occurrence of drug use and sexual ties among IPV-victimized and non-victimized participants. Egocentric-exponential random graph models (ego-ERGMs) simulate a whole network from 922 egocentric networks, revealing that network structure—particularly racial homophily, age difference, and anti-LGBT victimization—significantly predicts IPV experiences. Findings suggest that IPV-victimized queer men are more likely to engage in drug use with their sexual partners, reinforcing syndemic conditions that exacerbate health risks. This study highlights the need for network-informed interventions to address IPV and substance use within LGBTQ+ communities.
Keywords: intimate partner violence, sexual minority men, social networks, syndemic theory, drug use, exponential random graph models