Page 151 - GHES-2-4

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Impact of dating violence on mental health

(Lewis & Fremouw, 2001). Therefore, this term was used 2021; Cañete et al., 2022; Martin-Storey, 2015; Messinger,
in the present study, which examines violence perpetrated 2011; Rollè et al., 2018; Stephenson et al., 2022), making
by partners who are or have been in a dating relationship it a significant public health concern (Kar et al., 2023). It
but are not married or cohabiting. Dating violence has has been argued that addressing IPV requires considering
traditionally been understudied, despite evidence that it is women and men as potential perpetrators and victims of
a serious and potentially destructive issue requiring both such violence (Costa et al., 2015), with evidence indicating
empirical and clinical attention (Shorey et al., 2008). that both genders can be victims and perpetrators (Costa

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; et al., 2015; Nicholls & Hamel, 2015). Although research
2023) identifies dating violence as a type of intimate on men as survivors of IPV is limited, surveys have
partner violence (IPV). IPV refers to aggression or abuse shown that men do experience IPV. Differences by sexual
in romantic relationships with a current or former spouse orientation have been noted, with bisexual men being
or dating partner. IPV is a significant social and public more likely to report sexual and physical violence, and
health issue (CDC, 2023; Nicholls & Hamel, 2015; Ogbe gay men more likely to report stalking (Dickerson-Amaya
et al., 2020) and a global phenomenon (Krug et al., 2002; & Coston, 2019). IPV among female same-sex partners
Martínez-Heredia et al., 2021; Ogbe et al., 2020) that has is also understudied. Garay-Villarroel et al. (2023) have
many societal and individual costs (CDC, 2023). IPV has noted the importance of examining this type of violence
severe consequences for the mental and physical health of separately, as it cannot be directly equated with violence
victims and survivors (Bates, 2020; Breiding et al., 2015; between heterosexual partners.
Spencer et al., 2019), as well as for families and society This study’s purpose was to analyze both victimization
(Nicholls & Hamel, 2015). In addition, IPV perpetration and perpetration of violence among same-sex and
has been linked to mental health problems (Spencer et al., opposite-sex partners who are not married or cohabiting,
2019; Okuda et al., 2015; Yanez-Peñúñuri et al., 2023). as well as among women and men. Further, it examines
Although there is considerable variability in the severity, the association between victimization and perpetration
function, form, and manifestation of dating violence (CDC, of such violence. In addition, the study aims to determine
2023; Shorey et al., 2008), it encompasses three facets of the relationships between victimization and perpetration
abuse: physical, psychological, and sexual (Callan et al., 2021; with psychological symptomatology, self-esteem, and life
Shorey et al., 2008; Spencer et al., 2019). Physical violence satisfaction among women and men. Finally, the study
involves inflicting or attempting to inflict physical harm analyzes how perpetration and victimization of violence are
on a partner by punching, kicking, hitting, or otherwise associated with age, level of education, internalization of
using physical force; psychological aggression involves traits commonly associated with masculine/instrumental
using verbal and non-verbal communication to cause and feminine/expressive traits, and traditional attitudes
psychological or emotional harm and/or to exert control toward gender roles.
over a partner; and sexual violence consists of forcing or 2. Methods
attempting to force a partner to engage in any type of sexual
activity against their will (CDC, 2023). Although many 2.1. Participants and procedure
studies of IPV have been conducted worldwide, most have This cross-sectional study was conducted with individuals
focused on married or cohabiting partners, heterosexual from the general Spanish population. The sample was
partners, and women as victims. While IPV against women non-probabilistic and included 288 women (54.5%) and
is a serious public health issue (World Health Organization, 240 men (45.5%), aged between 17 and 54 years. All
2021) and a violation of women’s human rights with participants were currently or previously in a partnership
devastating long- and short-term effects on their physical but were neither married nor cohabiting. If participants
and mental health (CDC, 2023; Klencakova et al., 2023; did not have a partner at the time of the study, they were
Sardinha et al., 2022), this study focuses on IPV among asked to report on their most recent partner. Half of
same-sex and opposite-sex dating partners. the women (n = 144) and men (n = 120) had same-sex
Although not as extensively studied as IPV among partners, while the other half of the women (n = 144) and
heterosexual partners, there is evidence that violence occurs men (n = 120) had opposite-sex partners. We controlled
between same-sex partners (Frieze et al., 2020; McGregor, for age, education level, occupation, and marital status
2023; Townsend & Bailey, 2021). Rates of IPV among of the same-sex partners to match those of opposite-sex
same-sex partners, while varying considerably across partners (Table 1) and to ensure that these characteristics
studies (Frieze et al., 2020), are comparable or even higher did not differ between women and men (Table 2). Although
than those among opposite-sex partners (Callan et al., there was diversity in sociodemographic characteristics,

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3300