Gendered Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Normality: An Experimental Study

Knowledge on young adults’ perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV) is important as these are the ages at which most people form their first serious intimate relationships and begin to develop norms about how to communicate within a relationship. This study uses an experimental vignette design to examine whether the type of violence employed and the gender dynamics within the couple (male perpetrator and female victim vs. female perpetrator and male victim) affect young adults’ perceptions of IPV normality. Gender differences in these perceptions are assessed and moreover, we explore whether these differences can be attributed to respondents’ prior IPV experiences. Young adults (N = 599) were recruited from various schools and universities throughout the Netherlands. They were randomly assigned to one of 10 experimental vignettes. Findings demonstrate that, generally, scenarios describing more serious types of IPV as well as those describing a male perpetrator and a female victim received lower ratings of normality. Gender differences in perceptions were found and, moreover, the direction of these gender differences appeared to depend on the actual gender dynamics described in the IPV scenario. Prior IPV experiences increased perceptions of IPV normality among female respondents in particular. Moreover, the suggestion that respondents’ prior IPV experiences may better explain respondents’ IPV perceptions than respondents’ gender, was only partly supported. Our findings suggest that this is true for respondents’ prior psychological, but not physical IPV experiences and for the manipulations of the gender dynamics within the couple, but not so much for the type of violence employed. Implications of these findings are discussed. From a prevention perspective, greater insight into these perceptions is relevant as they have been shown to be related to help-seeking and reporting behavior in the case of experiencing or witnessing IPV.