Factors associated with the perpetration of interpersonal violence and abuse in young people’s intimate relationships

Abstract

This paper examines individual, peer and societal factors associated with young people's instigation of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, including abuse and control through new technologies, in their intimate relationships. The mixed-method research included a survey of 4564 young people aged 14-17 across five European countries. Young people's advisory groups were convened in each country to work alongside the research teams. Across the European sample, 38% of boys and 45% of girls stated they engaged in some form of emotional violence, 10% of girls and 6% of boys reported the use of physical violence and 20% of boys and 4% of girls reported using sexual violence (pressure and/or physical force). A range of intersecting factors, including wider experiences of violence and abuse, gendered attitudes and consumption of online pornography, were associated with the use of intimate violence, although these differed by gender. The research provides new European insights through measuring the association with three discrete forms of IPVA as well as exploring perpetration by both males and females. A Prevention and intervention programmes seeking to respond to violence in young people's relationships need to develop effective strategies to address the interplay of these factors across young people's lives.

Being silenced, loneliness and being heard: understanding pathways to intimate partner violence & abuse in young adults. a mixed-methods study

“…IPVA is a complex and multifaceted issue and young people require differential levels of support depending on the risks they encounter. There is a need to recognise how wider structural inequalities intersect with IPVA perpetration, necessitating the need for population-based prevention programmes [ 1 ].…”

“…There is a broad consensus for the need to identify the complex pathways to IPVA across different countries and populations, which consider socio-ecological factors to inform primary prevention and interventions [ 1 , 2 , 8 ]. To do this we need to better understand the pathways to violence and abuse through adopting an ecological perspective.…”

“…To do this we need to better understand the pathways to violence and abuse through adopting an ecological perspective. Ecological perspectives emphasise the complexity and bi-directional influence of the interactions that young people experience at four levels: the individual, family and relationships, community, and wider societal context and note that these interactions can protect or increase vulnerability to IPVA [ 1 ] .…”

“…International research has shown the significance and impact of intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) as a public health issue in young adults [1]. Prevalence rates for IPVA in young adults vary considerably depending on the populations sampled, definitions used and the forms of IPVA included [2], although rates are considered high, with reported prevalence of up to 97% for emotional and psychological violence [3].…”

“…There is a broad consensus for the need to identify the complex pathways to IPVA across different countries and populations, which consider socio-ecological factors to inform primary prevention and interventions [1,2,8].…”