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Redefining intimate partner violence: Women's experiences with physical violence and non-physical abuse by age

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Abstract

This study examines the relationship between age, physical violence and non-physical abuse within the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). It tests the hypothesis that while the prevalence of physical violence is lower among older women, other forms of intimate partner violence are not related to age. The study uses data from the Michigan Violence Against Women Survey to measure physical violence and two forms of non-physical abuse: psychological vulnerability and autonomy-limiting behavior. Findings support the hypothesis that the rate of physical abuse is negatively related to age but the rate of nonphysical abuse is not. By expanding the definition of IPV to include other forms of abusive behavior, the study finds that older women have IPV prevalence rates similar to younger women. This raises the question of whether batterers alter their means of power and control by emphasizing non-physical abuse rather than continuing to use physical violence that exposes them to formal and informal social controls and sanctions.
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Redefining intimate partner violence: Women's experiences with physical viol...
Nancy J Mezey; Lori A Post; Christopher D Maxwell
The International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy; 2002; 22, 7/8; ABI/INFORM Global
pg. 122
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... The fact that the pattern did not change even in cases where the perpetrators had become dependent on their partners indicates a certain continuity in patterns of intimate partner abuse throughout their lives (WHO, 2011). When the perpetrator cannot continue relying on their physical supe-riority to maintain their dominant position in the relationship, they intensify their controlling behaviour (Hightower, Greta, Smith & Hightower, 2006;Koenig, Terry, Rinfrette & Lutz, 2006;Montminy, 2005) by substituting physical abuse with various forms of psychological abuse Zink, Jacobson, Pabst, Regan, & Fisher, 2006;Lundy & Grossman, 2005;Mezey, Post & Maxwell, 2002). ...
... Literature on long-term intimate partner abuse suggests that forms of psychological abuse in old age act as a substitute for previous physical abuse in order to maintain the dominant position in a relationship after bodily decline Zink, Jacobson, Pabst, Regan, & Fisher, 2006;Lundy & Grossman, 2005;Mezey, Post & Maxwell, 2002). In relationships with a violent history, infantilisation may appear as one of the many forms of psychological abuse. ...
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In the area of intimate partner abuse among older people, we encounter a theoretical and empirical void as regards the impact of retirement on the incidence of infantilisation. This paper looks at whether infantilisation occurs among married couples in old age and how it is perceived by older people and their formal carers. Infantilisation is a form of psychological abuse in which a person in a position of power treats another person as if he or she were a child. The use of childlike language, exaggerated intonation and a higher pitched voice are its most distinctive features. Although one can be infanti-lised anytime during adult life, infan-tilisation may have the most serious consequences for people in old age, especially if it is linked to excessive control and other actions that deny an old person autonomy and dignified treatment. This study builds upon the information obtained from 11 in-depth interviews with pensioners aged 70 and above and a focus group with four professional home carers. The data was analysed in accordance with the methodological guidelines of grounded theory, and the findings were clarified by two expert interviews. The results of the analysis indicate that infantilisation does appear among married couples in old age, but is perceived differently by formal carers and the older people themselves.
... Literature show that prior studies conducted in SSA have not reported uniform findings in terms of the relationship between age of a woman and experience of intimate partner violence. However, our finding is consistent with studies that have indicated that as age of a woman increases, the experience of physical violence decreases [27,29,48,49]. This finding could be explained by the fact that older women are more likely have decision making power and are able to seek support on personal strategies that prevent exposure to domestic violence compared to their young counterparts [49][50][51]. ...
... However, our finding is consistent with studies that have indicated that as age of a woman increases, the experience of physical violence decreases [27,29,48,49]. This finding could be explained by the fact that older women are more likely have decision making power and are able to seek support on personal strategies that prevent exposure to domestic violence compared to their young counterparts [49][50][51]. This finding has an implication for designing of community strategies prevent early marriages and empower young women with adequate information on how to protect themselves from spousal violence. ...
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Background Violence against women and girls is a major public health issue, a violation of human rights, and is linked to a number of harmful effects on one’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health. Studies conducted in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) suggest that there is an association between contextual factors and experience of intimate partner violence. However, in Zambia, this association is not well documented. Thus, this study was conducted to examine how individual and community-level characteristics influence spousal violence against women in Zambia. Methods Data from the most recent Zambia Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2018 was used. A sample of 7,358 ever-married women aged 15–49 years was used in the analysis. Two level multilevel binary logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between individual and contextual-level factors and experience of spousal violence. Results The prevalence of spousal physical violence against women in Zambia was 21.1% [95% CI, 19.8, 22.5]. Women aged 15–19 [aOR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.34–4.14] and 20–24 [aOR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.38–3.22], who did not own mobile phone [aOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.10–1.69], and had low decision making autonomy [aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.01–1.54] were more likely experience spousal physical violence. Furthermore, communities which had a low proportion of women with decision making power [aOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.26–2.19] were more likely experience spousal physical violence. Additionally, women whose partners’ drank alcohol [aOR = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.30–3.45] and those whose partners exhibited jealous behaviour [aOR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.88–3.21] were more likely to experience spousal physical violence. Conclusion Both individual and community-level factors influenced spousal physical violence in Zambia. Integrating community level factors when designing interventions to address gender-based would be key to reduce women’s vulnerability to gender based violence in the country. There is need to re-evaluate and re-strategize current strategies being implemented to address gender based violence in the country to make them context specific.
... In some previously conducted studies, it has been shown that age was negatively correlated with the physical violence variables among adults (both women and men and both experienced and perpetrated violence), indicating that younger respondents tended to report more physical violence than older respondents (Kwong et al., 2003). Age was also negatively correlated with physical violence among women who have experienced physical violence in a partner relationship by a man (Abramsky et al., 2011;Mezey et al., 2002). ...
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The aim of this research was to examine the predictive power of the anomie and dimensions of psychological violence in predicting perpetrated physical violence by female adults. The sample was convenient and consisted of 341 female adults, aged 18 to 65 years (M = 25.04, SD = 8.97). Anomie was assessed by the scores on the Perception of Anomie Scale. Violent behavior was assessed by The Violent Behavior Questionnaire among adults (VBQ; dimensions: mocking and making rough jokes, machinations and plotting and insulting and threatening (psychological violence), light hitting, poking, pushing and beating with or without objects (physical violence)). Two hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. In the first model age was included, in the second anomie and in the third dimensions of psychological violence. The results suggest a significant model for light hitting, teasing, pushing away (R2 = .37, F(5,335) = 39.93, p < .001) with anomie (β = .12, p = .006), mocking and making rough jokes (β = .29, p < .001) and insulting and threatening (β = .33, p < .001) being the significant predictors. The results also suggest a significant model for beating with or without objects (R2 = .23, F(5,335) = 20.19, p < .001) with age (β = .15, p = .004), anomie (β = .10, p = .044), machinations and plotting (β = .15, p = .012) and insulting and threatening (β = .29, p < .001) being the significant predictors. The results indicate the connection of different forms of violent behavior. In addition, they show the importance of the wider social context in predicting violent behavior e.g., the personal experience of alienation from society in which the individual lives.
... However, recent studies demonstrated that the older women in growing numbers are also often victims of physical and nonphysical forms of IPV (e.g. emotional, psychological and economic abuse) [7,13,14,30,31]. Our aim in this study was to investigate the health correlates of IPV among older women. ...
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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is often studied as a problem that predominantly affects younger women. However, studies show that older women are also frequently victims of abuse even though the physical effects of abuse are harder to detect. In this study, we mined the electronic health records (EHR) available through IBM Explorys to identify health correlates of IPV that are specific to older women. Our analyses suggested that diagnostic terms that are co-morbid with IPV in older women are dominated by substance abuse and associated toxicities. When we considered differential co-morbidity, i.e., terms that are significantly more associated with IPV in older women compared to younger women, we identified terms spanning mental health issues, musculoskeletal issues, neoplasms, and disorders of various organ systems including skin, ears, nose and throat. Our findings provide pointers for further investigation in understanding the health effects of IPV among older women, as well as potential markers that can be used for screening IPV.
... Studies regarding associations between age and sexual coercion or psychological aggression have been less conclusive. Some research indicates that levels of psychological aggression remain stable to uphold gendered power dynamics within relationships (Mezey et al., 2002). This link between psychological aggression and the preservation of power imbalances may explain why this form of IPV and age were not significantly related in the current sample. ...
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... riages, how spouses perceive and experience IPV, and offer solutions to address it. The most common type of violence was psychological violence (verbal and emotional) that has reoccurred during the marriage, as also reported in the national(BAAK 1995; ASPB and HU 2015;Dildar 2021) and international context (e.g.,Mezey, Post, and Maxwell 2002). As opposed to physical violence, spouses in this study have not considered psychological violence a significant threat to the continuation of the marriage, but a common and inevitable part of the marriage. ...
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This qualitative study investigates the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and the duration of marriage in the Turkish context and explores spouses’ perceptions, experiences, and solutions concerning IPV. Participants were thirty Turkish couples married for twenty or more years. Data collection tools were a semi-structured interview, observation notes taken during the interview, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analysis showed that psychological violence was the most reported type, while sexual and economic violence was not reported in long-term marriages. Only a few instances of physical violence were reported during the first years of marriage. Regarding gender, the perpetrators of physical IPV were all men except for only one case, while both men and women were the perpetrators and victims of psychological violence. Spouses’ proposed solutions for IPV were identify­ing the determinants of IPV, encouraging religious and values education, solving economic problems, building communication and patience, learning respect, responsibility, and love; or getting divorced. The study suggests some implications for professionals.
... However, recent studies demonstrated that the older women in growing numbers are also often victims of physical and nonphysical forms of IPV (e.g. emotional, psychological and economic abuse) 7,13,14,29,30 . Our aim in this study was to investigate the health correlates of IPV among older women. ...
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