Macrosocial and individual factors involved in violence against women by their partners in Europe: a multilevel analysis

Abstract

Although ecological models of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) highlight the importance of different types of causal factors, the relationships among them have hardly been studied. To provide empirical evidence for these models, we explored the interrelationships among gender-related ideological (sexism, traditional masculinity, gender role stress, IPVAW myths), relational (jealousy, dysfunctional communication, peer support for IPVAW) and individual (aggressiveness-anger, violence in childhood) variables and psychological and sexual IPVAW. In Study 1 (exploratory), participants completed measures of gender ideology, aggressiveness, jealousy, and likelihood of committing psychological and sexual IPVAW. We found an indirect effect of aggressiveness and jealousy on IPVAW likelihood through gender ideology. In Study 2, we additionally explored the role of violence in childhood, peer support to IPVAW and the mediating role of other variables (traditional masculinity, benevolent sexism, IPVAW myths, dysfunctional communication) through a structural equation model. Gender ideology was key: aggressiveness, jealousy, violence in childhood and peer support for IPVAW were indirectly related to psychological IPVAW through gender-related variables. Aggressiveness and jealousy were also related to psychological IPVAW through dysfunctional communication. The results reinforce the need of ecological perspectives in IPVAW and suggest that prevention strategies should consider the relations among different risk factors triggering IPVAW.