Intimate Partner Violence Control Research Articles

The Moderating Effects of HIV Relevant Factors on the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and Intention to Start HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Cisgender Women.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV are serious and related public health problems that detrimentally impact women's health. Because women who experience IPV are more likely to acquire HIV, it is critical to promote HIV prevention strategies, such as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), that increase autonomy. This study of cisgender women eligible for HIV PrEP took place between 2017 and 2019 in Philadelphia and New York City. This study aimed to examine the relationship between four types of IPV (control, psychological, physical, sexual) and intention to start PrEP among PrEP-eligible cisgender women and assess the extent to which HIV relevant factors moderated the association between IPV experience and intention to start PrEP. In this sample of PrEP-eligible women (n = 214), 68.7% indicated intention to start PrEP in the next 3months. Ethnicity was strongly associated with intention to start PrEP, with Hispanic women having the highest odds of intending to start PrEP in the next 3months. Having a controlling partner significantly predicted intention to start PrEP. Women with more than one sex partner and a controlling partner had higher odds of intending to start PrEP as compared with those who had one or no partners and had no IPV control. These findings point to a need for patient-centered interventions that address the need for safety and autonomy among cisgender, PrEP-eligible women.

Legitimacy, incipience, and perception of informal social control of intimate partner violence: Experiment on a Korean parent sample.

Evidence from a growing research literature on the causes and effects of informal social control (ISC) and bystander interventions carried out by nonprofessionals against intimate partner violence (IPV) shows anomalies and unexplained counterintuitive findings. This study employs a new experimental vignette design to examine the hypothesis: high bystander legitimacy (in the eyes of potential perpetrators) will moderate the effects of (1) incipient ISC and (2) perceived ISC, on parent's self-estimated likelihood of perpetrating IPV. The data consistof 210 rural Korean parents randomly drawn from Kyunggi province using a three-stage cluster probability proportional to size approach. Parents were randomly assigned to low and high incipient ISC, perceived ISC, and collective legitimacy conditions, following a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental vignette approach. Hypotheses were tested using regression models with standard errors corrected for district clusters. Incipient ISC was associated with significantly less self-estimated likelihood of perpetrating IPV. An interaction between high bystander legitimacy and incipient ISC was negative (B = -8.88, p < 0.01). The interaction between perceived ISC and legitimacy was not significant. However, the interaction between perceived ISC and female gender was positively associated with self-estimated likelihood of perpetrating IPV (B = 8.61, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that the presence of a legitimate bystander (whom the potential perpetrator believes has a legitimate right to be concerned about his or her family) may deter parents from perpetrating IPV. Programs to boost ISC and bystander intervention should include modules that strengthen collective legitimacy.

Women’s experiences of intimate partner violence in rural Taranaki, Aotearoa New Zealand

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally, research about intimate partner violence has focused on urban areas and has been urban-centric. However, there are some components of intimate partner violence in rural communities which are different and social workers need to be aware of these variances.METHODS: The findings presented in this article were drawn from a doctoral study in which 23 women and five men were interviewed using a qualitative approach. Alongside these interviews, key informants in the rural Taranaki district were consulted, a fieldwork journal kept and photographs taken. The data were analysed using applied thematic analysis.FINDINGS: Patriarchy was a distinct aspect of the intimate partner violence experienced by the women who participated in this study and part of the back-drop to lives. Hegemonic masculinity was a powerful contributor to the intimate partner violence experienced by some study participants. Geographic isolation was exploited as an aspect of control in intimate partner violence among the women and women had difficulty accessing services.CONCLUSION: It is important for social workers, in order to practise competently, to have an awareness of the impact of patriarchy and hegemonic masculinity. When working in rural communities, social workers need to be attentive to the factors which impact rural women who have experienced intimate partner violence, and how these factors might differ from those that impact urban women’s experiences.

Coercive Control in Intimate Partner Violence: Relationship with Women's Experience of Violence, Use of Violence, and Danger.

The objective of this study was to better understand the experience of coercive control as a type of IPV by examining associations between coercive control and women's experiences of particular forms of violence, use of violence, and risk of future violence. As part of a larger research study, data were collected from 553 women patients at two hospital emergency departments who had experienced recent IPV and unhealthy drinking. Baseline assessments, including measures of coercive control, danger, and experience and use of psychological, physical, and sexual forms of IPV in the prior three months were analyzed. Women experiencing coercive control reported higher frequency of each form of IPV, and higher levels of danger, compared to women IPV survivors who were not experiencing coercive control. There was no statistically significant association between experience of coercive control and women's use of psychological or sexual IPV; women who experienced coercive control were more likely to report using physical IPV than women who were not experiencing coercive control. Findings contribute to knowledge on the relationship between coercive control and specific forms of violence against intimate partners. A primary contribution is the identification that women who experience coercive control may also use violence, indicating that a woman's use of violence does not necessarily mean that she is not also experiencing severe and dangerous violence as well as coercive control. In fact, experience of coercive control may increase victims' use of physical violence as a survival strategy.

The Role of Control in Intimate Partner Violence: A Study in Dutch Forensic Outpatients.

Johnson argued that coercive control is crucial in explaining heterogeneity in intimate partner violence, with such violence being more frequent, less reciprocal, and more often male-to-female aggression when it serves to exercise control over the partner. We assessed 280 Dutch forensic outpatients who had recently engaged in intimate partner violence on nonaggressive coercive control. Control showed significant, small to moderate, associations with more frequent past year acts of psychological aggression, physical assault, and sexual coercion and more frequently resulted in partner injury. Control was unrelated to reciprocity of partner violence. High controlling violence was enacted mostly, but not exclusively by men. Overall, while perhaps not having a uniquely strong association, our findings provide partial support for the role of coercive control in intimate partner violence and suggest it may benefit intimate partner violence risk assessment.

Protective family informal social control of intimate partner violence in Beijing.

Protective family informal social control of intimate partner violence in Beijing.

Coercive control in intimate partner violence

Abstract The construct of coercive control has been central to many conceptualizations of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet there is widespread inconsistency in the literature regarding how this construct is defined and measured. This article provides a comprehensive literature review on coercive control in regards to conceptualizations, definitions, operationalization, and measurement; and attempts to provide a synthesis and recommendations for future research. A summary and critique of measures used to assess coercive control in IPV is provided. At least three facets of coercive control are identified: 1) intentionality or goal orientation in the abuser (versus motivation), 2) a negative perception of the controlling behavior by the victim, and 3) the ability of the abuser to obtain control through the deployment of a credible threat. Measurement challenges and opportunities posed by such a multifaceted definition are discussed.

What would your neighbor do? An experimental approach to the study of informal social control of intimate partner violence in South Korea

AbstractAlthough research on bystander intervention and informal social control of intimate partner violence (IPV) is increasingly common, empirical anomalies remain and experimental studies on population samples are rare. This study reports the effects of a new experimental approach to the study of informal social control of IPV by neighbors on a small population sample of 100 married men in Seoul, South Korea. We hypothesized that men randomly assigned to a high‐perceived informal social control condition would have lower self‐estimated likelihoods of IPV perpetration in response to a vignette. We also hypothesized that the effect of random assignment would be different for that portion of the sample that reported perpetration of family violence (IPV or child abuse). Compared to the nonperpetrating portion of the sample, perpetrators of family violence in the sample randomly assigned to the high perceived control condition experienced a significant drop in self‐estimated likelihood of IPV perpetration.

Brain network connectivity in women exposed to intimate partner violence: a graph theory analysis study.

Evidence suggests that women who suffer from intimate partner violence (IPV) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have structural and functional alterations in specific brain regions. Yet, little is known about how brain connectivity may be altered in individuals with IPV, but without PTSD. Women exposed to IPV (n=18) and healthy controls (n=18) underwent structural brain imaging using a Siemens 3T MRI. Global and regional brain network connectivity measures were determined, using graph theory analyses. Structural covariance networks were created using volumetric and cortical thickness data after controlling for intracranial volume, age and alcohol use. Nonparametric permutation tests were used to investigate group differences. Findings revealed altered connectivity on a global and regional level in the IPV group of regions involved in cognitive-emotional control, with principal involvement of the caudal anterior cingulate, the middle temporal gyrus, left amygdala and ventral diencephalon that includes the thalamus. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence showing different brain network connectivity in global and regional networks in women exposed to IPV, and without PTSD. Altered cognitive-emotional control in IPV may underlie adaptive neural mechanisms in environments characterized by potentially dangerous cues.

Is the Presence of Control Related to Help-Seeking Behavior? A Test of Johnson’s Assumptions Regarding Sex Differences and the Role of Control in Intimate Partner Violence

The aim of this study was to test 2 of Johnson’s (1995) assumptions regarding intimate partner violence (IPV), namely, that there are sex differences in the type of physical aggression men and women use and that controlling aggression is more problematic and requires more outside intervention than noncontrolling aggression. These assumptions were tested using survey data from the 13th cycle of the General Social Survey in Canada, which was a telephone survey that asked crime victimization questions in several areas. There were no sex differences in the use of controlling behavior or physical aggression. Controlling aggression did not have an effect on problem presentation when compared with relationships low in controlling behaviors. There was mixed support for Johnson’s work and the utility of his typology is questioned.

Offending competency and coercive control in intimate partner violence

This paper considers some of the ways in which intervention approaches for perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) might be enhanced through the explicit consideration of the offense process. It is suggested that those who are experts in perpetrating this type of violence routinely use coercive controlling violence in intimate relationships. This group, for whom violence is instrumental, are not only likely to be at highest risk of offending, but also the most difficult to treat. They are more likely to have long developmental histories of violence, hold entrenched attitudes, and utilize knowledge about the effects of intimidation to avoid detection. It is suggested that specific consideration of what is known about the causes and correlates of IPV in those who follow this approach-explicit pathway can improve the outcomes of current perpetrator behavior change programs.

Do family order and neighbor intervention against intimate partner violence protect children from abuse? Findings from Kathmandu

Drawing on previous research on intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and informal social control, we hypothesized relationships between child abuse severity and (1) protective informal social control of intimate partner violence (ISC_IPV) by neighbors, (2) intimate terrorism, (3) family order, and (4) the power of mothers in intimate relationships. In what we believe may be a first study of physical child abuse by parents in Nepal, we used a three stage cluster approach to draw a random sample of 300 families in Kathmandu. Random effects regression models were used to test the study hypotheses. The analyses found support for hypotheses one and two, but with an important caveat. Although observed (actual) protective ISC_IPV had the hypothesized negative association with child abuse severity, in one of our models perceived protective ISC_IPV was positively associated with child abuse severity. The models clarify that the overall direction of protective ISC_IPV appears to be negative (protective), but the positive finding is important to consider for both research and practice. A significant relationship between family order and child abuse severity was found, but the direction was negative rather than positive as in hypothesis three. Implications for neighborhood research and typological research on IPV and child maltreatment are discussed.

The Controllability in Intimate Relationships Scale

We present the development and validation of a new measure to assess perceptions of community and social contexts (macro contexts) linked to controllability in relationships. The Controllability in Intimate Relationships Scale measures a person’s perceived situation regarding power, resources, and independence. This measure is a first step toward assessing links between macro contexts and control in intimate partner violence. Analyses conducted on the sample of 241 college students and community members included analysis of variance, Cronbach’s α, standard error of measurement, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results showed good reliability and model fit. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Coercive Control in Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence

Contemporary approaches to intimate partner violence (IPV) have been heavily shaped by the primacy given to coercive control over physical violence and the use of typologies. Few studies have attempted to apply these approaches to same-sex relationships. This study aimed to explore patterns of violence and control and examine the utility of typologies within same-sex domestic violence (SSDV). Data from 184 gay men and lesbians on their experiences with aggressive and controlling behaviors within same-sex relationships was used to identify categories consistent with Johnson's typology. Over half of the sample were non-violent and noncontrolling, while 13.0 % of respondents and 14.7 % of their partners had engaging in situational couple violence (SCV). Smaller proportions (4.4 % of respondents and 6.5 % of partners) engaged in coercive controlling violence (CCV). Rates of mutually violent control (MVC) were high (12.5 %). This typology was expanded to identify cases of non-violent control (NVC), which included 7.1 % of respondents and 5.4 % of partners. To date, no other studies have reported on the use of controlling behaviors within same-sex relationships. These data demonstrated the presence of patterns of control and violence consistent with categories originally identified in heterosexual couples. Data also supported the growing acceptance of the central role of coercive control in IPV.

Women and Men’s Use of Coercive Control in Intimate Partner Violence

This study examined the relationship between coercive control and intimate partner violence (IPV) for men and women and for targets and perpetrators. One hundred and seventy-two participants (85 men, 87 women) recruited from three samples reported on their own and their partner's behavior. IPV was measured using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2). Coercive control was measured using modified items from the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (PMWI). Coercive control was associated with IPV, and this relationship was similar for men and women across the three samples. In fact, coercive control was predominantly reciprocal in nature, with women and men reporting both receiving and perpetrating controlling behaviors. Overall, coercive controlling behaviors were characteristic of individuals within violent relationships, regardless of their physical abuse status. The experience of violence, rather than gender, was the best predictor of coercive control.

Violencia del compañero íntimo contra la mujer: una mirada desde la Salud Pública

Intimate partner violence (IPV), an intentional use of physical force or power against a partner, is the most common form of violence against women, and frequently results in injuries, death, psychological harm and disability. In Spain, mortality due to IPV is fairly stable, but around 15% of women visited by family doctors and 10% of those aged 18 or above, have experienced some form of IPV within the previous year. Being immigrant, older, separated or divorced, with low education or incomes, and low social support are associated with a history of IPV. IPV is the result of a multitude of individual, interpersonal, community and social determining factors. Interventions for problem drinkers, school-based programmes to address gender norms and attitudes, and social support programmes are effective strategies to prevent IPV. The Public Health sector may have a valuable role by actively collaborating in the prevention and control of intimate partner violence

The informal social control of intimate partner violence against women: Exploring personal attitudes and perceived neighborhood social cohesion

AbstractIntimate partner violence against women is a major public health and social problem. However, our understanding of how the geographic community or neighborhood influences its distribution is underdeveloped. In contrast, there is accumulating evidence that neighborhood characteristics, such as social cohesion and related neighborhood factors, are associated with general violence both at the neighborhood and individual levels. Drawing insights from social disorganization, feminist, and bystander intervention research and theory, this cross‐sectional, exploratory study examines influences on the predicted likelihood of intervening in general and intimate partner violence situations, termed enacting informal social control. Specificially, perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion and related neighborhood factors, and personal attitudes toward intimate partner violence are assessed using data from a community sample of 119 New York City residents. Results indicate that perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion were not positively related to predicted likelihood of enacting informal social control of either general violence or intimate partner violence. Personal attitudes towards intimate partner violence were positively associated with predicted informal social control of intimate partner, but not general violence. The need for further research in this area and theoretical and practical implications of the findings for intimate partner violence against women prevention are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 1001–1018, 2007.