Gender Symmetry, Sexism, and Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

The current study of a diverse sample of 92 male and 140 female college students has two goals: to make an empirical contribution to the debate regarding gender symmetry in intimate partner violence with data from both males and females; and to address inconsistent findings in studies examining the relationship between sexist attitudes and intimate partner violence (IPV; in which some studies find a positive relationship between men's sexism and their IPV, while other studies find protective effects of sexism on IPV). Results indicate that comparable numbers of men and women perpetrate and are victimized in their relationships with intimate partners but, path models suggest that women's violence tends to be in reaction to male violence against them; whereas men tend to initiate violence first, and then their partners respond with violence. Additionally, benevolent sexism was shown to have a protective effect against men's violence toward partners. Findings highlight the importance of studying women's violence not only in the context of male violence but also within a broader socio-cultural context. Keywords: dating violence, ambivalent sexism, college studentsGender Symmetry, Sexism, & Intimate Partner Violence 3 Considerable debate continues regarding the prevalence, direction, and meaning of violence between men and women in intimate relationships (e.g., Frieze, 2005). A number of studies examining men's and women's use of physical violence using survey data primarily from U.S. samples have indicated that the number of women using physical aggression is comparable to that of men (e.g. Archer, 2000; Bookwala, Frieze, Smith, & Ryan, 1992; Dutton, 1994; Stets & Straus, 1990; Straus, 1993 Straus, , 1997 Straus, , 1999.Some studies have found that women used physical aggression more often than their male partners (e.g., Billingham & Sack, 1986; DeMaris, 1992; Gryl, Stith, & Bird, 1991; Magdol, Moffitt, Caspi, Newman, Fagan, & Silva, 1997; Moffit & Caspi, 1999; Sorenson & Telles, 1991).Data from international studies regarding the question of gender symmetry are mixed. In a review of intimate partner violence incidence and prevalence rates from studies worldwide, Krahé, Bieneck and Möller (2005) summarized across 12 studies conducted in 9 countries that compared men's and women's physical victimization by intimate partners. Seven studies found higher numbers of women reporting victimization as compared to men; 3 studies found higher numbers of men reporting victimization; and two studies found equivalent numbers. Among 4 studies that compared men's and women's physical perpetration against intimate partners, 2 found a higher number of women perpetrating violence as compared to men; 1 found a higher number of men perpetration violence; and one found equivalency.Evidence from a different body of studies, in which evidence is drawn from crime statistics and arrest data, indicate that all forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) are overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women (Dobash & Dobash, 1992;...

Are Generalist Batterers Different from Generally Extra-Family Violent Men? A Study among Imprisoned Male Violent Offenders

“…Although this finding might challenge, research showing that more sexist, misogynistic, traditional, and gender rigid attitudes are related to IPV against women (Allen, Swan, & Raghavan, 2009;Flood & Pease, 2009), empirical research on male batterers have consistently found that antisocial/generally violent batterers show the highest levels of hostility toward women Holtwortz-Munroe & Stewart, 1994). Also, evidence from general population studies indicates that more violent individuals might also hold hostile attitudes toward women ) as compared to less violent individuals.…”

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Counselors' Attributions of Blame Toward Female Survivors of Battering

“…Benevolent sexism, however, is a less obvious form of sexism and is based on general attitudes toward women as filling traditional gender roles and stereotypes (Allen, Swan, & Raghavan, 2009). Ambivalence occurs as one attempts to rationalize both forms of sexism frequently faced in everyday life.…”