Intimate partner violence among men and women who use methamphetamine: A mixed‐methods study in South Africa

Abstract

Introduction The prevalence of methamphetamine use has risen dramatically in parts of South Africa. Globally, methamphetamine has been linked to intimate partner violence (IPV) and other forms of aggression. The aim of this mixed-methods study was to examine the experiences of physical IPV and its contextual factors among methamphetamine users in an urban community in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Active methamphetamine users were recruited using respondent driven sampling. All participants (n=360) completed structured surveys, and a subset (n=30) completed in-depth interviews with discussions of personal IPV experiences. Quantitative data were examined separately by gender, and regression models were used to identify factors that were associated with physical IPV victimisation and perpetration. Qualitative data were analysed to provide contextual understanding. Results In the past 3 months, 47% of women and 31% of men reported being a victim of IPV, and 30% of women and 28% men reported being a perpetrator of IPV. Victimisation and perpetration were highly correlated, and both were significantly associated with histories of other traumas. Although the survey data suggests gender equivalence in IPV, the qualitative data provides a more nuanced context, with female victimisation by male partners being particularly frequent and intense. In narratives, IPV was a product of male aggression while using methamphetamine, norms around sex trading, and gender-based attitudes endorsing violence against women. Conclusion Addiction to methamphetamine creates heightened risks of IPV, especially among those with previous traumas. The findings emphasise the importance of identifying and addressing IPV among methamphetamine users in South Africa.

Tailored integrated interventions for intimate partner violence and substance use are urgently needed

“… illustrate the importance of expectancies about the effects of alcohol in relation to IPV perpetration, consistent with previous work showing strong cultural expectancies that alcohol facilitates IPV . There is also need to take into account adverse child events in interventions to address IPV perpetration, as two studies in this special issue highlight the association between IPV perpetration and trauma . However, Madruga et al .…”

“…Gilchrist et al [18] illustrate the importance of expectancies about the effects of alcohol in relation to IPV perpetration, consistent with previous work showing strong cultural expectancies that alcohol facilitates IPV [19]. There is also need to take into account adverse child events in interventions to address IPV perpetration, as two studies in this special issue highlight the association between IPV perpetration and trauma [20,21]. However, Madruga et al [22] found that although witnessing parental violence was independently associated with being a victim of IPV, IPV perpetration was not associated with witnessing parental violence when experience of direct violence as a child was controlled for.…”

“…While the quantitative data from studies by Gilchrist et al and Watt et al . suggested gender symmetry in the rates of IPV victimisation and perpetration experienced, their qualitative data provide a more nuanced contextual understanding, with instances of victimisation of women by male partners characterised as particularly frequent and intense. In a study of men in treatment for substance use in England and Brazil, Radcliffe et al .…”

“…In narratives from South Africa, Watt et al . found that IPV was explained by male aggression while using methamphetamine, norms around sex trading and gender‐based attitudes endorsing violence against women. In another study featuring careful analyses of in‐depth interviews with women who had experienced alcohol‐related IPV, Wilson et al describe a ‘cycle of escalating violence accompanying the male partner's progression from starting to drink (having fun) to getting drunk (looking for a fight); to intoxication (‘switching’ to escalated violence)’ .…”

Relationship between Sensation Seeking and Aggression in Methamphetamine Abuser: Multiple Mediating Effects of Self-Control and Impulsivity

“…神兴奋剂，具有很强的精神毒性和神经破坏作用，对成瘾者的身体、行为和精神等方面都会产生一系列 的破坏性反应，包括心血管和呼吸问题、抽搐、牙齿和皮肤溃烂、攻击行为、冒险寻求、性冲动、各类 精神疾病以及记忆力下降等 (Winslow, Voorhees, & Pehl, 1988;Watt, Guidera, Hobkirk, Skinner, & Meade, 2016;Colfax & Shoptaw, 2005)。其中，攻击或暴力行为是冰毒成瘾者较为突出的行为表现，国内外众多 研究结果支持滥用冰毒会导致成瘾者产生高水平的暴力和攻击行为 (Boles, & Miotto, 2003;Cartier, Farabee, & Prendergast, 2006;王玮，肇恒伟，李晨，赵子阳，2017) …”