Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Female Partners of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans

Abstract

The problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) is increasingly being studied among military populations, although there is a dearth of research examining IPV perpetrated against male veterans by their female partners. Returning veterans and their partners face several unique difficulties, including psychological and relationship distress, which may be important factors related to the partners’ perpetration of IPV. This study investigates correlates of psychological and physical IPV perpetrated by female partners of male Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans. Specifically, the correlates examined include female partners’ relationship satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as veterans’ relationship satisfaction, PTSD symptoms, and psychological and physical IPV perpetration. Results indicated several significant correlates of female partners’ psychological and physical IPV perpetration, including veterans’ psychological and physical IPV, veterans’ and partners’ relationship satisfaction, and veterans’ PTSD symptoms. In regression analyses, veterans’ psychological IPV was the only unique predictor of female partners’ psychological IPV, and veterans’ physical IPV was the only unique predictor of female partners’ physical IPV. Findings emphasize the role of veteran factors in their partners’ IPV perpetration.