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Social norms for intimate partner violence
Tricia H Witte1, Mazheruddin M Mulla2
1University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA. twitte@ches.ua.edu
Violence and Victims
|February 20, 2014
Summary
College students often overestimate intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence. Perpetrators perceived higher IPV rates than nonperpetrators, suggesting social norms interventions could be effective.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Criminology
- Public Health
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant issue on college campuses.
- Understanding perceived prevalence (descriptive norms) of IPV is crucial for prevention.
- Previous research has not fully explored how perpetrators and nonperpetrators perceive IPV norms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate college students' perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV) descriptive norms.
- To compare IPV prevalence estimates between perpetrators and nonperpetrators.
- To assess the accuracy of students' IPV prevalence estimates compared to actual rates.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to male and female college students.
- Participants estimated the prevalence of same-sex IPV among "typical students" on their campus.
- Estimates were compared between individuals identified as IPV perpetrators and nonperpetrators.
Main Results:
- Perpetrators of IPV reported higher estimates of IPV prevalence than nonperpetrators.
- Both perpetrators and nonperpetrators significantly overestimated the actual prevalence of IPV.
- This overestimation indicates a skewed perception of social norms surrounding IPV.
Conclusions:
- College students, including perpetrators, tend to overestimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence.
- Findings support the utility of social-norms-based prevention programs for IPV on college campuses.
- Interventions should address misperceptions of IPV prevalence to foster healthier relationship norms.
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