Intimate Partner Violence Use Research Articles

Childhood histories of family violence and adult intimate partner violence use among U.S. military veterans.

Childhood histories of family violence and adult intimate partner violence use among U.S. military veterans.

Drivers of men's use of intimate partner violence in conflict-affected settings: learnings from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is prevalent in conflict-affected settings. Yet, there is limited knowledge about the risk factors that influence men's use of IPVAW in conflict-affected settings. This paper adopts a transdisciplinary perspective to understand how experiences hypothesized to increase men's use of IPVAW relate to each other and to men's use of IPVAW. The findings may help researchers and interventionists to better select and target interventions for IPVAW in conflict-affected settings. We used baseline data from the Tushinde Ujeuri project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Men with at least partial data for the variables of interest were included in the analysis (n = 2080). We estimated a structural equation model that explored how five constructs - interpersonal violence, mental health, socioeconomic adversity, gender inequitable attitudes, and conflict violence - influenced men's self-reported past-year use of physical and/or sexual IPVAW. The model had acceptable fit (χ2 = 1576.574, p = 0.000; RMSEA = 0.041; CLI = 0.882; SRMR = 0.055). There was a statistically significant path from interpersonal violence to IPVAW (β = 0.875; OR = 2.40). Interpersonal violence also was linked to gender inequitable attitudes (β = 0.364), which were linked to increased use of IPVAW (β = 0.180; OR = 1.20). Moreover, interpersonal violence was linked to trauma symptoms (β = 0.331), which were linked to increased use of IPVAW (β = 0.238; OR = 1.27). Use of IPVAW decreased as conflict exposures increased (β=-0.036; OR = 0.96), and there was no path from socioeconomic adversity to IPVAW. Our findings suggest interpersonal violence exposures, trauma symptoms, and gender inequitable attitudes are all risk factors for the use of IPVAW in a conflict-affected setting. While continuing to focus on gender inequitable attitudes and norms, interventionists should also consider addressing men's experiences of victimization and mental wellbeing. Doing so can help to improve trauma symptoms and may hold promise to reduce IPVAW in conflict-affected settings.

Effects of a clinic-based reproductive empowerment intervention on proximal outcomes of contraceptive use, self-efficacy, attitudes, and awareness and use of survivor services: a cluster-controlled trial in Nairobi, Kenya

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of a reproductive empowerment contraceptive counselling intervention (ARCHES) adapted to private clinics in Nairobi, Kenya on proximal outcomes of contraceptive use and covert use, self-efficacy, awareness and use of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivor services, and attitudes justifying reproductive coercion (RC) and IPV. We conducted a cluster-controlled trial among female family planning patients (N = 659) in six private clinics non-randomly assigned to ARCHES or control in and around Nairobi, Kenya. Patients completed interviews immediately before (baseline) and after (exit) treatment and at three- and six-month follow-up. We use inverse probability by treatment weighting (IPTW) applied to difference-in-differences marginal structural models to estimate the treatment effect using a modified intent-to-treat approach. After IPTW, women receiving ARCHES contraceptive counselling, relative to controls, were more likely to receive a contraceptive method at exit (86% vs. 75%, p < 0.001) and had a significantly greater relative increase in awareness of IPV services at from baseline to three- (beta 0.84, 95% CI 0.13, 1.55) and six-month follow-up (beta 0.92, 95% CI 0, 1.84) and a relative decrease in attitudes justifying RC from baseline to six-month follow-up (beta −0.34, 95% CI −0.65, −0.04). In the first evaluation of a clinic-based approach to address both RC and IPV in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC) context, we found evidence that ARCHES contraceptive counselling improved proximal outcomes related to contraceptive use and coping with RC and IPV. We recommend further study and refinement of this approach in Kenya and other LMICs. Plain Language Summary Reproductive coercion (RC) and intimate partner violence (IPV) are two forms of gender-based violence that are known to harm women’s reproductive health. While one intervention, ARCHES – Addressing Reproductive Coercion in Health Settings, has shown promise to improve contraceptive use and help women cope with RC and IPV in the United States, no approach has been proven effective in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC) context. In the first evaluation of a reproductive empowerment contraceptive counselling intervention in an LMIC setting, we found that ARCHES contraceptive counselling, relative to standard contraceptive counselling, improved proximal outcomes on contraceptive uptake, covert contraceptive use, awareness of local violence survives, and reduced attitudes justifying RC among women seeking contraceptive services in Nairobi, Kenya. Distal outcomes will be reported separately. Findings from this study support the promise of addressing RC and IPV within routine contraceptive counselling in Kenya on women’s proximal outcomes related to contraceptive use and coping with violence and coercion and should be used to inform the further study of this approach in Kenya and other LMICs.

Understanding Veterans' intimate partner violence use and patterns of healthcare utilization.

To understand the association between Veterans' healthcare utilization and intimate partner violence (IPV) use (i.e., perpetration) in order to (1) identify conditions comorbid with IPV use and (2) inform clinical settings to target for IPV use screening, intervention, and provider training. We examined survey data from a national sample of 834 Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans. We assessed associations between past-year IPV use and medical treatment, health issues, and use of Veterans Health Administration (VA) and non-VA services using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Data were derived from the Department of Defense OEF/OIF/OND Roster. Surveys were sent to all women Veterans and a random sample of men from participating study sites. Half (49%) of the Veterans who reported utilizing VA healthcare in the past year indicated using IPV. Q values using a 5% false discovery rate indicated that Veterans who used IPV were more likely than Veterans who did not use IPV to have received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 39% vs. 27%), chronic sleep problems (36% vs. 26%), anxiety or depression (44% vs. 36%), severe chronic pain (31% vs. 22%), and stomach or digestive disorders (24% vs. 16%). Veterans who used IPV were also more likely than Veterans who did not use IPV to have received medical treatment in the past year (86% vs. 80%), seen psychiatrists outside VA (39% vs. 20%), and have outpatient healthcare outside VA (49% vs. 41%). IPV use was not related to whether Veterans received care from VA or non-VA providers. Veterans' IPV use was related to greater utilization of services for mental health, chronic pain, and digestive issues. Future research should examine whether these are risk factors or consequences of IPV use.

Perpetrating Economic Abuse across the Globe: Results from the U.N. Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific

ABSTRACT Using the United Nations (U.N.) Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific, this study aims to identify the prevalence of men’s use of intimate partner violence (IPV) with a focus on economic abuse and its association with food scarcity and other variables. The U.N. Study took place between 2010 and 2013 in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to obtain a representative sample (n = 8,380) of households. The results found that over 1 in 5 men have perpetrated economic abuse at least once in their lifetime. Men reporting food scarcity, drinking problems, depressive symptoms, and gender inequality beliefs toward their partners were more likely to perpetrate economic abuse. Interventions aimed at reducing food insecurity, addressing men’s drinking problems and depression, and changing attitudes toward gender inequality may be effective at decreasing economic abuse.

Intimate partner homicide risk assessment by police in Spain: the dual protocol VPR5.0-H

Spanish police makes an extensive use of intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessment on a daily basis. Improved prediction procedures have encouraged the search for greater refinement of IPV predictors by adjusting to specific targets, such as lethal outcomes or potential victimization of children. This paper describes the evolution of the VPR5.0 tool (VioGén System Police Risk Assessment) as an algorithm aimed at improving predictability of intimate partner homicides (IPH). A sample of 2,159 records was used, 159 of whom were IPH victims. The sample was divided into two comparable groups of cases (IPH) and controls (N-IPH) to validate the results. The results showed that 13 out of 35 risk factors were significantly related to IPH with an effect size different to that of general N-IPH (with OR values ranging between 1.507 and 8.087). Binary logistic regression showed six significant factors that correctly classified 86.3% of the IPH. The new H-Scale performance parameters were comparable to those obtained in studies with the same objective (sensitivity 84%, specificity 60%, OR = 8.130, AUC = .80, PPV = .19 and NPV = .97).

Alcohol Misuse and Women's Use of Aggression in Intimate Relationships: The Mediating Role of Motivations for Using Aggression.

The relationship between alcohol misuse and women's use of intimate partner violence (IPV) aggression has been well studied; however, there has been no research to date on women's self-reported motivations for use of IPV aggression (e.g., self-defense, control) as an underlying mechanism explaining this link. Accordingly, this study aims to examine whether the effects of alcohol misuse on IPV aggression vary as a function of women's motivations for using aggression. Participants were 412 ethnically diverse community women, between the ages of 18 and 65, in intimate relationships characterized by bidirectional IPV. The Motives and Reasons for IPV Scale was used to assess women's reasons for using IPV aggression. Results revealed that the tough guise motive (i.e., wanting to appear tough, intimidating, and willing to harm one's partner) explained the relationship between alcohol misuse and physical and sexual IPV aggression. Findings suggest the utility of incorporating the assessment of women's motivations for IPV aggression in an effort to provide better informed intervention addressing the underlying reasons women use IPV aggression.

How practitioners respond to men’s use of intimate partner violence in rural areas

ABSTRACT This exploratory study aimed to understand the complexities and particularities of social service practices with men who use intimate partner violence in rural areas. Ten rural service providers in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia participated in qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews. A combined inductive and deductive approach to thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Themes were: metro-centrism implicit in services’ design and systems and workforce factors pertaining to experience, training, attitudes, and practitioners’ ways of working to respond to their local context. The article employs an intersectional framework to discuss the varying accounts of practitioners and the diversity between service provision in places broadly classed as “rural.” Implications are identified for the design and implementation of rural social services’ policy and, specifically, how rural communities can be best supported to respond to men’s use of IPV.

Couples' Economic Equilibrium, Gender Norms and Intimate Partner Violence in Kirumba, Tanzania.

This study examines the link between the loss of men's status as breadwinners and their use of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Kirumba (Mwanza city, Tanzania), mediated by the entry of women into the cash work force. Using qualitative data from 20 in-depth interviews and eight focus groups with men (n = 58) and women (n = 58), this article explores how the existing gender-related social norm linked to male breadwinning was threatened when women were forced to enter into paid work (linked to the family's impoverishment), and how these changes eventually increased partner violence. The study draws implications for IPV reduction strategies in patriarchal contexts experiencing declining economic opportunities for men.

Patterns in Coercive Controlling Behaviors Among Men Mandated for Batterer Treatment: Denial, Minimization, and Consistency of Tactics Across Relationships

The current study sought to explore if perpetrators of intimate partner violence use coercive control behaviors in their first romantic relationship and subsequent treatment relationship, how behaviors are recalled, if there is a pattern in the behaviors used, and the denial and minimization techniques to explain coercive control behaviors. In their first relationship narratives, 48.15% recalled a fight with 14.8% reporting coercive control behaviors. In narratives from the treatment relationships, 61.73% reported coercive control behaviors. Denial and minimization tactics were present as participants described fights where coercive control tactics were used. Results and their implications for treatment programs will be discussed.

Perceptions of Men Who Have Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence on Creating a Transition to Fatherhood Program

The transition to fatherhood can be a time of stress and excitement for expectant and new fathers. At the same time, the impact of men’s use of intimate partner violence (IPV) during and following pregnancy on women is well documented. Currently, a lack of programmatic efforts to engage men during the transition to fatherhood to interrupt IPV exists. This study sought to illuminate the perceptions of men, who had recently become fathers and had perpetrated IPV, about the idea of a transition to fatherhood program, for men like themselves. The thirteen study participants universally favored the idea of and need for such a program. Findings also described participants’ identified timing, format, and topics, which could inform future development of transition to fatherhood program for men who have perpetrated IPV. Policy and practice implications for social service and health care providers include implementing pre- and post-natal screening of men.

Mental ill health and factors associated with men\u2019s use of intimate partner violence in Zimbabwe

BackgroundOver the years, researchers have relied on data from women victims to understand the profile on male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV studies with male participants in the general population are still emerging in Africa. The contribution of mental ill health to IPV perpetration in the general population that has been documented elsewhere is emergent. Notwithstanding, research with male perpetrators is essential to informing effective prevention programmes and interventions. To contribute to the emerging literature on male perpetrators, we conducted a study to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with IPV perpetration by men in heterosexual relationships. We also modelled pathways to IPV perpetration using data from Zimbabwe.MethodsData were collected through a nationwide survey employing a random and multi-staged sampling method. We recruited and administered a structured questionnaire to 2838 men aged 18 years and above. IPV was measured using an adapted WHO Domestic Violence Questionnaire. Determinants of IPV measured included child abuse, alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms, personal gender attitudes and risky sexual behaviours. Multivariate regression modelling was used to assess factors associated with IPV perpetration. Structural equation modelling was used to explore the underlying pathways to recent IPV perpetration.ResultsForty one percent of men had perpetrated IPV in their lifetime and 8.8% percent of men perpetrated IPV in the 12 months before the survey. Older, more educated men, men who binge drank, men who were abused as children or experienced other life traumatic experiences were more likely to perpetrate IPV in lifetime. Depressive symptoms and sexual relationship power (were also associated with lifetime IPV perpetration. IPV perpetration in the last 12 months was associated with binge drinking, PTSD and sexual relationship power. The pathways to IPV perpetration in the last 12 months from child abuse to recent IPV were mediated by comorbid PTSD symptoms, depression binge drinking and sexual relationship power.ConclusionsIPV perpetration was associated with child abuse history, mental ill health, sexual relationship power and personal gender attitudes. Interventions to reduce IPV need to engage men to address gender inequality, mental ill health and reduce alcohol consumption.

"Think Like a Man": How Sexual Cultural Scripting and Masculinity Influence Changes in Men's Use of Intimate Partner Violence.

The purpose of the study was to (a) explore the relationship between sexual cultural scripting and traditional masculine norms on changes in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, and (b) examine traditional masculine norms as an effect modifier among young heterosexual men. This study is a secondary data analysis of a prospective cohort study of 119 young heterosexual men who were followed for 6months. The adjusted logistic regression results revealed that sexual cultural scripting norms were associated with an increased odds of emotional IPV perpetration and traditional masculine norms were associated with an increased odds of physical IPV perpetration in the past 6months. There were no significant interaction effects between sexual cultural scripting and traditional masculine norms on IPV perpetration. These findings suggest that socially constructed norms and beliefs surrounding masculinity, femininity, and how women and men interact in sexual relationships are important constructs for understanding the etiology of young men's use of violence against a female partner. While primary IPV interventions targeting young men do address masculinity, sexual cultural scripting is an additional concept that should also be addressed.

Optimizing trauma-informed intervention for intimate partner violence in veterans: The role of alexithymia

Recent research supports the efficacy of Strength at Home-Men's Program (SAH-M), a trauma-informed group intervention designed to reduce use of intimate partner violence (IPV) in veterans (Taft, Macdonald, Creech, Monson, & Murphy, 2016). However, change-processes facilitating the effectiveness of SAH-M have yet to be specified. Alexithymia, a deficit in the cognitive processing of emotional experience characterized by difficulty identifying and distinguishing between feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and use of an externally oriented thinking style, has been shown to predict PTSD severity and impulsive aggression; however, no studies have investigated the relationship between alexithymia and IPV. As such, the current study examined the role of improvements in alexithymia as a potential facilitator of treatment efficacy among 135 male veterans/service members, in a randomized control trial SAH-M. After an initial assessment including measures of IPV and alexithymia, participants were randomized to an Enhanced Treatment as Usual (ETAU) condition or SAH-M. Participants were assessed three and six months after baseline. Results demonstrated a statistically significant association between alexithymia and use of psychological IPV at baseline. Moreover, participants in the SAH-M condition self-reported significantly greater reductions in alexithymia over time relative to ETAU participants. Findings suggest that a trauma-informed intervention may optimize outcomes, helping men who use IPV both limit their use of violence and improve deficits in emotion processing.

Gender Differences in Risk Markers for Perpetration of Physical Partner Violence: Results from a Meta-Analytic Review

There is a lack of consensus on whether the use of intimate partner violence (IPV) is distinctly different between men and women, or if men and women share similar risk markers for perpetrating IPV. In this study, we compared 60 different risk markers for IPV perpetration for men and women using a meta-analysis. We found three out of 60 risk markers significantly differed between men and women. Our results suggest that there are more similarities between men and women than there are differences in risk markers for IPV perpetration.

Comorbid substance use diagnoses and partner violence among offenders receiving pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence

ABSTRACTWhile previous studies find mixed evidence of an association between opioid use and intimate partner violence perpetration among community samples, initial evidence has detected increased rates of partner violence among individuals receiving pharmacological intervention for opioid dependence. The current study evaluated the role of current comorbid substance use diagnoses, a robust risk factor for violent behavior, on the likelihood of perpetrating partner violence among a high risk sample of offenders receiving pharmacological intervention for opioid dependence. The authors analyzed self-report data provided by 81 (55 male) opioid dependent offenders during a court-ordered substance use interview. Approximately one-third of the sample evidenced the recent use of intimate partner violence. Findings indicated that cocaine and benzodiazepine use were independently associated with an increased likelihood of reporting physical partner violence. Alcohol and cannabis use were not associated with partner violence. The current results offer further support for the ongoing need to conduct routine partner violence screenings among substance involved offenders and highlight the importance of developing individualized treatment plans that address comorbid substance use and partner-violent behaviors among individuals in treatment for opioid dependence.

Strategies to promote uptake and use of intimate partner violence and child maltreatment knowledge: an integrative review.

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (CM) are major social and public health problems. Knowledge translation (KT) of best available research evidence has been suggested as a strategy to improve the care of those exposed to violence, however research on how best to promote the uptake and use of IPV and CM evidence for policy and practice is limited. Our research asked: 1) What is the extent of IPV/CM-specific KT research? 2) What KT strategies effectively translate IPV/CM knowledge? and 3) What are the barriers and facilitators relevant to translating IPV/CM-specific knowledge?MethodsWe conducted an integrative review to summarize and synthesize the available evidence regarding IPV/CM-specific KT research. We employed multiple search methods, including database searches of Embase, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycInfo, Sociological s, and Medline (through April, 2013). Eligibility and quality assessments for each article were conducted by at least two team members. Included articles were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and qualitatively using descriptive content analysis.ResultsOf 1230 identified articles, 62 were included in the review, including 5 review articles. KT strategies were generally successful at improving various knowledge/attitude and behavioural/behavioural intention outcomes, but the heterogeneity among KT strategies, recipients, study designs and measured outcomes made it difficult to draw specific conclusions. Four key themes were identified: existing measurement tools and promising/effective KT strategies are underused, KT efforts are rarely linked to health-related outcomes for those exposed to violence, there is a lack of evidence regarding the long-term effectiveness of KT interventions, and authors’ inferences about barriers, facilitators, and effective/ineffective KT strategies are often not supported by data. The emotional and sometimes contested nature of the knowledge appears to be an important barrier unique to IPV/CM KT.ConclusionsTo direct future KT in this area, we present a guiding framework that highlights the need for implementers to use/adapt promising KT strategies that carefully consider contextual factors, including the fact that content in IPV/CM may be more difficult to engage with than other health topics. The framework also provides guidance regarding use of measurement tools and designs to more effectively evaluate and report on KT efforts.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-862) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Inpatient hospitalization and intimate partner violence: who are we treating?

The majority of research into health care use of intimate partner violence (IPV) has focused on female victims and primarily their emergency department use. There are limited data on injury-related hospitalization rates for female victims and even less for male victims and perpetrators. The goal of this study was to determine the annualized rates of inpatient injury-related hospitalization among individuals involved as either victims or defendants in IPV. This was an observational retrospective study linking data from two Level 1 trauma centers and the county prosecutor's office from 2000 to 2010 in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. (1) Hospital data included injury-related admissions (DRG International Classification of Diseases-9th Rev. codes 800-959.9 excluding 905-909.9). (2) Prosecutor data contained all charging requests for crimes between intimate partners. Annualized rates were calculated for the year before the IPV crime and for the year after, using the following algorithm: (number of hospitalizations) / (total population) × (per 10,000). Confidence intervals and two-sided statistical significance were calculated at the 95% confidence level. During the study period, 21,179 IPV crimes were committed, involving 12,913 individual defendants and 14,797 victims. There were 30,301 injury-related hospitalizations by this group during this period. Compared with national hospitalization rates of 3.2 per 10,000 people for injury/poisoning (DRG International Classification of Diseases-9th Rev. 800-959.9 and 990-995), IPV victim annual admission rates were 31.9, defendants at 90.4, and bidirectional individuals at 339.1 per 10,000 people, in the 2 years surrounding the crime. Males, regardless of crime role, have higher injury-related hospitalization rates in this period compared with females (male, 115.6; female, 41.8). Males (victims or defendants) and bidirectional participants of either sex had rates that were significantly higher the year after than the year before the crime. Individuals involved in IPV have a 10-fold higher injury-related hospitalization rate as compared with age-matched national rates. Admission rates vary by sex, crime role, and time frame, with males and bidirectional participants having the highest rates. Epidemiological study, level III.

Intimate partner violence among rural South African men: alcohol use, sexual decision-making, and partner communication

Nearly one-third of South African men report enacting intimate partner violence. Beyond the direct health consequences for women, intimate partner violence is also linked to varied risk behaviours among men who enact it, including alcohol abuse, risky sex, and poor healthcare uptake. Little is known about how to reduce violence perpetration among men. We conducted retrospective, in-depth interviews with men (n = 53) who participated in a rural South African programme that targeted masculinities, HIV risk, and intimate partner violence. We conducted computer-assisted thematic qualitative coding alongside a simple rubric to understand how the programme may lead to changes in men's use of intimate partner violence. Many men described new patterns of reduced alcohol intake and improved partner communication, allowing them to respond in ways that did not lead to the escalation of violence. Sexual decision-making changed via reduced sexual entitlement and increased mutuality about whether to have sex. Men articulated the intertwined nature of each of these topics, suggesting that a syndemic lens may be useful for understanding intimate partner violence. These data suggest that alcohol and sexual relationship skills may be useful levers for future violence prevention efforts, and that intimate partner violence may be a tractable issue as men learn new skills for enacting masculinities in their household and in intimate relationships.

Childhood Abuse and Women’s Use of Intimate Partner Violence: Exploring the Role of Complex Trauma

Much research now indicates significant long-term effects for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse in childhood. Recent research also has examined the role of women as perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV), including potential factors that contribute to their use of violence. One trend revealed in the research is that many of the women who engaged in acts of IPV also had a history of experiencing one or more types of childhood abuse (e.g., physical or sexual abuse, or witnessing family violence). This article discusses the specific framework of complex trauma as a theoretical model to understand how unresolved triggers of childhood trauma may potentially serve as ongoing catalysts for women’s IPV. Using the lens of complex trauma illuminates the criticalinterpersonalfactor yet to be studied thus far, which suggests that many women’s IPV experiences may be rooted in havingchildhood traumas triggeredby their intimate partner. Suggestions for treatment are recommended as exploring the intersection between past trauma and present violence, which seems to be the key for unlocking important answers in treating violent women and decreasing IPV.