IPV Characteristics, Childhood Violence, and Adversities as Risk Factors for Being Victimized in Multiple IPV Relationships

Abstract

Empirical knowledge regarding risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) from multiple partners (MP) is scarce and sought by clinicians and many women themselves for the prevention of future intimate partner violence relationships (IPVRs). Quantitative data were obtained through a structured interview with a stratified sample of help-seeking women ( N = 154) with no ( n = 48, 0IPVR), one ( n = 55, 1IPVR), or multiple ( n = 51, 2IPVR) IPVRs. This study investigated the association between (a) childhood family violence, (b) other childhood adversities, (c) victimization and perpetration of IPV in the last (index) relationship, and (d) controlling sociodemographic and contextual variables, and the following dependent variables: (a) women with 1IPVR and 2IPVR compared with 0IPVR and (b) women with 1IPVR compared with 2IPVR. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that, compared with nonvictimized women, IPV victimized women were nearly three times more likely to report childhood sexual abuse. They also reported a higher frequency of peer victimization and a higher likelihood of having an immigrant partner. In addition, the length of the index relationship was shorter for IPV victimized women. Compared with women with 1IPVR, women with IPV by MP were more likely to report childhood emotional abuse and less education, and they were less likely to be immigrants. The two groups of IPV victimized women were indistinguishable regarding characteristics of victimization and perpetration of IPV. This study indicated that there were other risk factors for IPV by MP than for IPV in general and highlighted the importance of addressing parenting and emotional care in IPV families.

Attachment Characteristics Among Women Victimized in No, One, and Multiple IPV Relationships: A Case–Control Study

“…The significant or trend attachment variables from Step 1 were forwarded to Step 3 where each of them was tested in a separate multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for all remaining sociodemographic and contextual group differences from Step 2 (Model a). In Step 4, we adjusted for childhood adversities, which were found as risk factors in a previous part of this study ( Ørke et al, 2020 ). In two extended models, we adjusted for interaction effects between the attachment factor and each of the childhood adversities.…”

“…Other than attachment issues, studies reported childhood risk factors for victimization of IPV. These were in particular psychological abuse/maltreatment ( Cascio et al, 2017 ; McClure & Parmenter, 2017 ; Reyome, 2010 ; Wekerle & Wolfe, 1998 ), sexual ( Ørke, Bjørkly, & Vatnar, 2020 ) and physical abuse (e.g., Barrios et al, 2015 ; Cascio et al, 2017 ; Hetzel-Riggin & Meads, 2011 ), exposure to parental abuse ( Ehrensaft et al, 2003 ; Hetzel-Riggin & Meads, 2011 ; Krishnan et al, 2001 ), and peer victimization ( Ørke et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Regarding posttraumatic stress disorder and personality disorders, the results were mixed and inconclusive, and depression did not appear as a salient risk factor for IPV by MP. A recent study compared parental psychological and physical violence and childhood emotional neglect and abuse and concluded that among these, childhood emotional abuse was a risk factor for IPV by MP ( Ørke et al, 2020 ).…”

“…According to the reviewed literature, both attachment issues and childhood adversities were suggested as risk factors for IPV by MP. Other studies reported an association between attachment issues and childhood adversities: childhood maltreatment (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse) and neglect (disengaged and extremely insensitive parenting) were consistently found to increase the rate of children’s attachment insecurity ( Mikulincer & Shaver, 2016 ) and were associated with IPV by MP ( Ørke et al, 2020 ). In the present study, we investigated attachment anxiety and avoidance while adjusting for significant childhood adversities.…”

Risk Behaviours Associated with Dating and Relationship Violence among 11–16 Year Olds in Wales: Results from the 2019 Student Health and Wellbeing Survey

“…However, previous research on children and young people has demonstrated how victimisation in one context can link to repeat victimisation as well as victimisation across different contexts, particularly for those that experience multiple forms of victimisation [63]. This could help explain why, for example, women reporting IPVA were also likely to report peer victimisation and childhood sexual abuse [64].…”