Perpetrator sex and presence of a physical disability predict judgements of intimate partner violence

Abstract

Globally, 30% of women are thought to have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite extant literature outlining predictors of IPV perpetration and associated victim impact, greater understanding of how perpetrator demographics might moderate judgements of IPV severity is needed. This research uses vignettes to explore the under-researched impact of contexts wherein the perpetrator is disabled on such judgements. Across 183 UK-based participants (Mage = 32.71 years, SD = 10.89), and after controlling for demographic factors and attitudes pertaining to IPV and individuals with disabilities, more punitive judgements (e.g., less victim blame) were reported in vignettes whereby the perpetrator was [1] male, and [2] was not disabled. There were no interaction effects. With results aligning with our hypotheses, we must consider whether these findings reflect the result of typical societal depictions of perpetrators of IPV as being able-bodied men; with depictions that fall out of this scope providing potential mitigations to the severity of IPV. Further, results have potential practical implications for recognising and reporting IPV, and so we call for further international research to be carried out on the role of disability in IPV and the qualitative experiences of both victims and perpetrators thereof.