Association of Violence Against Partner and Former Victim Experiences: A Sample of Clients Voluntarily Attending Therapy

Abstract

The authors addressed the associations between childhood and adolescence victimization and partner violence in adulthood. Data were collected on 480 men voluntarily attending therapy with a semistructured interview that assessed (a) violent behavior, categorized as physical violence, physical controlling behavior, property violence, psychologically controlling behavior, psychological degradation, indirect aggression, or sexual violence and (b) victim experiences during childhood or adolescence, categorized as physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, or exposure to violence between family members. Prior victim experiences of family violence were reported by 60% of participants. Regression analyses showed that past victim experiences, especially physical abuse, was associated with adult violence (p < .05). Specifically, physical abuse was associated with psychologically controlling behavior (p < .05) and sexual abuse with sexual violence (p < .05).

Men’s Experiences of Violence in Intimate Relationships

“…There are strong indications that these women are in need of therapeutic treatment. As mentioned previously, studies of male perpetrators of violence in intimate relationships have shown that six out of ten men undergoing therapy have experienced childhood violence themselves and have major problems with anxiety, depression and substance abuse (Rangul Askeland et al 2011). In a Norwegian interview study of mothers who inflicted violence on their children, Kruse and Bergman (2014) found that the mothers themselves had had earlier experiences of violence and had also subjected a partner or ex-partner to violence.…”

Intimate partner homicide in Norway 1990–2012: Identifying risk factors through structured risk assessment, court documents, and interviews with bereaved.

“…Although there are significant sociodemographic variations in women's IPV help seeking, recent research indicates that the strongest independent predictor of women's use of supports is fear of their lives being in danger (Barrett & St Pierre, 2011). There is some research on IPV perpetrators' help seeking (e.g., Askeland, Evang, & Heir, 2011;Hester, Ferrari, Jones, et al, 2015). Nonetheless, there appears to be a paucity of research on IPH perpetrators' help seeking (Dobash & Dobash, 2015;Eliason, 2009;Martin et al, 2007).…”

Parental reflective functioning in fathers who use intimate partner violence: Findings from a Norwegian clinical sample

“…It appears that IPV perpetrators as a group have a high prevalence of relational trauma (Askeland, Evang & Heir, 2011; Dutton, 2007). Askeland (2015) found that the majority of men who sought help after having perpetrated IPV reported physical, emotional, or sexual abuse during their childhood.…”