Breaking the Silence: Exploring Peritraumatic Distress and Negative Emotions in Male and Female Physical Domestic Violence Victims

Abstract

Background Domestic violence is a widespread problem affecting individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Peritraumatic distress is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems among victims, but research on men’s experiences is limited. Objective We analyzed data from 48 physical domestic violence victims (16 males and 32 females) to compare their levels of peritraumatic distress and negative emotions, and to examine the types of aggressors they faced. Methods We used descriptives to summarize sample characteristics and Peritraumatic Distress Inventory scores and used statistical tests such as Mann-Whitney U, Shapiro-Wilk, Levene’s test, contingency tables, and chi-square to investigate differences and associations between variables. Results Female victims of domestic violence had significantly higher scores on the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory than male victims and experienced significantly higher levels of negative emotions than male victims, including impotence/inability to react, sadness, anger/frustration, loss of control, fear, guilt, and shame. Husbands and domestic partners were the most frequent aggressors against female victims, while wives and ex-wives were the most frequent aggressors against male victims. In addition, partners were found to be the most frequent type of aggressor in the sample. Descriptive statistics, box plots, and scatter plots were used to provide a clear picture of the sample characteristics. Conclusion Female victims of domestic violence reported higher levels of peritraumatic distress and negative emotions compared to men victims. Partners were the most frequent type of aggressor in the sample.