TY - JOUR
T1 - Adults’ Online and Offline Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Experiences
AU - Schokkenbroek, Janneke M.
AU - Ouytsel, Joris Van
AU - Hardyns, Wim
AU - Ponnet, Koen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 SAGE Publications.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - Digital media offer ample possibilities for individuals to control and monitor their dating or romantic partner and to make hurtful comments. Although online psychological intimate partner violence has received increased research attention over the past few years, much remains unknown about its nature and its association with offline psychological intimate partner violence, especially among the adult population. Previous research remains inconclusive regarding the gendered nature of online intimate partner violence, and differences among various age groups have yet to be examined. The present study is intended to address these gaps in the literature by assessing the co-occurrence of psychological intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, and the overlap between offline and online forms thereof. We conducted a large-scale survey study among a representative sample of 1,587 adults between the ages of 18 and 94 (M = 48.1, SD = 18.6), of which 1,144 (Mage = 47.7 years, 51.3% female) were in relationships at the time of data collection (2019). Our study findings indicate that experiences of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence tend to co-occur, as do victimization and perpetration experiences. Furthermore, we found that men were more often victims of both online and offline psychological partner violence than women, and women were more often perpetrators of both forms of psychological intimate partner violence than men. Younger age groups reported more victimization and perpetration of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence than older respondents. The results of our study underscore the need for age-appropriate intimate partner violence prevention.
AB - Digital media offer ample possibilities for individuals to control and monitor their dating or romantic partner and to make hurtful comments. Although online psychological intimate partner violence has received increased research attention over the past few years, much remains unknown about its nature and its association with offline psychological intimate partner violence, especially among the adult population. Previous research remains inconclusive regarding the gendered nature of online intimate partner violence, and differences among various age groups have yet to be examined. The present study is intended to address these gaps in the literature by assessing the co-occurrence of psychological intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, and the overlap between offline and online forms thereof. We conducted a large-scale survey study among a representative sample of 1,587 adults between the ages of 18 and 94 (M = 48.1, SD = 18.6), of which 1,144 (Mage = 47.7 years, 51.3% female) were in relationships at the time of data collection (2019). Our study findings indicate that experiences of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence tend to co-occur, as do victimization and perpetration experiences. Furthermore, we found that men were more often victims of both online and offline psychological partner violence than women, and women were more often perpetrators of both forms of psychological intimate partner violence than men. Younger age groups reported more victimization and perpetration of online and offline psychological intimate partner violence than older respondents. The results of our study underscore the need for age-appropriate intimate partner violence prevention.
KW - cyber dating abuse
KW - intimate partner violence
KW - psychological intimate partner violence
KW - sex differences
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105723473&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85105723473&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/08862605211015217
DO - 10.1177/08862605211015217
M3 - Article
C2 - 33966535
AN - SCOPUS:85105723473
SN - 0886-2605
VL - 37
SP - NP14656-NP14671
JO - Journal of interpersonal violence
JF - Journal of interpersonal violence
IS - 15-16
ER -