Understanding Patterns of Intimate Partner Abuse in Male–Male, Male–Female, and Female–Female Couples

Abstract

Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA), a major social problem, can lead to mental health conditions and is implicated in 30 % of female and 5 % of male homicide deaths. We hypothesized that due to distinct relationship structures and power dynamics which are immersed in varying sociocultural contexts, victims of male-male, female-female and female-male dyads experience different patterns of IPA. Our objectives were: (1) To examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of victims of male victim-male abuser (M-M), female victim-male abuser (F-M), male victim-female abuser (M-F), and female victim-female abuser (F-F) dyads. (2) To compare patterns of IPA reported by the victims in these groups. Out of 397 subjects in the general population that attempted this Internet-based study, 214 English-speaking subjects were older than 18 years, had experienced IPA, and provided complete information for the analysis. Victims of IPA were screened and specific methods of abuse were evaluated. M-Ms were significantly more educated (70 %) than other groups. F-Fs experienced more abuse before age 18 by a parent or relative. F-Fs experienced the most physical abuse while M-Ms the least (p = 0.004). Physical abuse or threats of abuse in front of children was reported more in F-Fs (p < 0.01) and least in M-Ms. IPA patterns differ significantly with F-Fs presenting the most physical profile and M-Ms presenting the least.

What About the Men? A Critical Review of Men’s Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

“…Men not only minimize their experiences, but may also find it difficult to disclose experiences and seek help (Allen-Collinson, 2009; Arnocky & Vaillancourt, 2014; Barrett et al, 2020; Morgan et al, 2016; Tilbrook et al, 2010). Some men have reported avoiding help-seeking for IPV due to fear of gender biased ridicule, shame, or being labeled the initiator of violence (Allen-Collinson, 2009; Brooks et al, 2017; De Puy et al, 2017; Gaman et al, 2016; Hines & Douglas, 2009; Machado, et al, 2017; McNeely et al, 2001; Tilbrook et al, 2010; Walker et al, 2019). For example, in a study of 258 men who had experienced IPV by a female partner, Walker et al, (2019) found that police exhibited gender-biases, by accusing male victims of being the perpetrators of the violence and threatening them with arrest.…”

Intimate Partner Violence Among Sexual Minority Women: A Scoping Review

“…Three studies using convenience samples of sexual minority individuals found no significant gender differences in IPV victimization (Gabbay & Lafontaine, 2017; Owen & Burke, 2004), or IPV perpetration (Craft et al, 2008; Gabbay & Lafontaine, 2017). However, several convenience sample studies from Southeast Texas (Turell, 2000), the Southwestern USA (Castro et al, 2020), Chicago, IL (Reuter et al, 2017; Whitton, Newcomb, et al, 2019), Hawaii (Wong et al, 2020), and the USA as a whole (Gaman et al, 2017; Jacobson et al, 2015) found higher rates of physical IPV victimization (Gaman et al, 2017; Reuter et al, 2017; Turell, 2000; Whitton, Newcomb, et al, 2019), physical IPV perpetration (Castro et al, 2020), psychological IPV victimization (Jacobson et al, 2015; Turell, 2000), and sexual IPV victimization (Wong et al, 2020) among SMW compared to SMM. Researchers using a representative sample of college students from 120 schools across the United States found that differences in rates of sexual IPV were smaller between sexual minority and heterosexual women than between sexual minority and heterosexual men (Whitfield et al, 2021).…”

Interpersonal Violence Is Associated with Self-Reported Stress, Anxiety and Depression among Men in East-Central Sweden: Results of a Population-Based Survey

“…The argument here is that gender socialization may cause men to minimize or trivialize their experiences of IPV [ 62 , 70 ], but may also hinder them from disclosing their IPV experiences and from taking the decision to seek help [ 48 , 64 , 71 , 72 ]. Several studies carried out elsewhere also indicate that men avoid seeking help after victimization for fear of being ridiculed, because they feel ashamed, and ultimately for fear of being considered the initiator of violence rather than the victim [ 48 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ].…”