Social and Environmental Contexts of Adolescent and Young Adult Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine qualitatively the life contexts of young males enrolled in programs addressing perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 19 males recruited from these programs. Interviews were coded to examine life contexts and analyzed using a content analysis approach. Five themes emerged across interviews: ( a) disruptive home environment; ( b) lack of positive male role models; ( c) a peer context characterized by substance use, gang involvement, and behaviors supporting the sexual maltreatment of girls; ( d) school circumstances characterized by a lack of academic support; and ( e) community exposures to violence. These factors were often interrelated within the various contexts of participants. Further research is needed to provide insight into whether and how these issues may contribute to IPV perpetration. Efforts to support young males regarding a broad array of concerns should be included in programming to reduce IPV perpetration.

Male Perpetration of Teen Dating Violence: Associations with Neighborhood Violence Involvement, Gender Attitudes, and Perceived Peer and Neighborhood Norms

“…Our measures for identifying sexual violence perpetration were developed as a result of previous qualitative work among a similar sample of urban adolescent males. 27 However, the prevalence reported in our sample using these measures was much higher than reported elsewhere. Thus, more work is needed to confirm this high prevalence of sexual violence perpetration among urban adolescent males and to ensure the consistent use of measures tailored for this population of males.…”

“…27 In particular, previous work has shown that males who report perpetration of TDV are also more likely to support traditional gender norms, beliefs in the inferiority of women and girls, and men's entitlement to control female partners via violence. [28][29][30][31] However, to our knowledge, no such studies on gender attitudes and TDV perpetration have been conducted specifically among urban adolescents despite findings that both partner violence as well as traditional attitudes toward gender are often exacerbated within such urban contexts.…”

“…Among adult, urban samples of adult men, previous work has linked perpetration of IPV with perceptions of neighborhood violence. 26 Among adolescent samples, qualitative work has suggested that perceived violence in one's neighborhood as well as within boys' peer groups is relevant to TDV perpetration among adolescent boys, 27 further underscoring the role of perceived social and environmental norms in TDV perpetration. However, further quantitative study on such norms is needed among adolescent samples.…”

Gender attitudes and violence among urban adolescent boys in India

“…Studies from across the globe highlight that boys may experience pressure to behave in sexually aggressive ways, and that expectations for male and female sexual and intimate involvements are often different, where girls are often expected to accommodate male needs and desires (Abbey & McAuslan, 2004;Cleveland et al, 2003;Foshee et al, 2001;Tolman et al, 2003). Such inequitable gender attitudes and behaviours among adolescents are associated with perpetration of violence against women and girls (Dalal et al, 2012;Flood & Pease, 2006;Reed et al, 2008Reed et al, , 2011.…”

Expect Respect Support Groups

“…Arriaga and Foshee (2004) found that having friends in violent relationships more strongly predicted dating violence perpetration and victimization than witnessing interparental violence. Multiple experiences of violence in relationships across social contexts, lack of positive role models, and violence-supportive peer group norms (Reed et al, 2008) appear to be interacting factors that increase the risk for experiencing or inflicting peer and dating violence.…”