How Victim Gender and Religious Identity Affect Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence

Kathman, Fenn

How Victim Gender and Religious Identity Affect Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence

Author(s)

Kathman, Fenn

Date Issued

April 3, 2023

Abstract

On average of 22.3% of women and 14% of men in the US are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) a year (The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2015 Data Brief — Updated Release, n.d.), yet many victims do not receive the support they need due to stereotypes and beliefs about what IPV or IPV victimhood looks like. Based on previous research, this is more pronounced for those in communities of faith, where divorce is typically frowned upon or there may be stereotypes about the particular faith. Therefore, this study examined how religious identity and gender identity played potential roles in how individuals judged victims of IPV by having participants read vignettes about instances of IPV and rate the severity based on the gender and religion of the victim on a series of scales determined to rate IPV beliefs and victim-blaming beliefs in the participant. It was hypothesized that men would be viewed more negatively than women, Jewish victims would be viewed more negatively than Christian victims and Jewish male victims would be viewed more negatively than Christian male victims. Results were not consistent with these hypotheses. Limitations and implications are discussed

Major

Psychology

Religious Studies

First Reader(s)

Eckstein, Lydia E.