College Students’ Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: The Effects of Type of Abuse and Perpetrator Gender

Abstract

This study explored how perceptions of intimate partner abuse severity and perpetrator responsibility differed based upon gender of the perpetrator/victim, participants’ gender, the type of abuse (physical vs. psychological), and the medium of abuse (in person vs. texting). Participants were undergraduates ( N = 593, aged 18–27), including 457 women and 136 men from two colleges in the Northeastern United States, who completed surveys for course credit. Results demonstrated that participants perceived abuse perpetrated by a male as more severe than abuse by a female, and physical abuse as more severe than psychological abuse. Furthermore, an interaction between perpetrator gender and abuse type indicated that abuse by males was viewed as more severe regardless of whether it occurred in person or electronically. In addition, participants attributed more responsibility to males and those who committed physical abuse. These findings are discussed in light of limitations and implications for future research.