Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a rising public health concern in the current world. Different forms of violence such as threats, slaps, aggression and pushing are common among husbands and wives. However, the same data also suggest that IPV violence is more pronounced in situations where one or both partners use illicit drugs or substances. According to The Futures without Violence Association (FWV), IPV is "A pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors that may include inflicted physical injury, psychological abuse, sexual assault, progressive social isolation, stalking, deprivation, intimidation, and threats. These behaviors are perpetrated by someone who is, was, or wishes to be involved in an intimate or dating relationship with an adult or adolescent, and one aimed at establishing control by one partner over the other” ( Low et al., 2017) . Different forms of research studies assert that 40%-50% of the IPV incidents occur as a result of the drug and substance abuse. This article present literature review studies that aim at identifying the relationship between IPV and drug addiction. In this article, the aim is to present literature reviewed pieces of evidence to prove the link between IPV and drug and substance addiction. This study contributes to already existing knowledge on the connection between IPV and drug abuse, by asserting that IPV is pronounced among illicit drug users.
The purpose of the study
IPV is a serious health concern in public owing to its rapid rise in different settings. Different types of research studies assert that IPV has a relationship with drug and substance abuse. The discussion concerning IPV is on the rise. A good number of research studies reveal the prevalence of IPV in society, its causes and consequences.
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Moreover, some research studies link IPV with different factors such as genetics, psychological effects, and social consequences. However, only a handful of research studies relate IPV to drug and substance abuse among the victims. In this article, the purpose is to trace the link between the intimate partner violence and drug abuse. In this article, the discussion aims at making an evidence-based conclusion on the relationship between IPV and drug addiction.
Research Hypothesis
In this research study, the researcher hypothesizes that a high rate of intimate violence in families are as a result of drug and substance abuse. According to this hypothesis, high intake of illicit drugs and substance abuse such as alcohol acts as a perpetuating factor to domestic and intimate partner violence.
Theoretical Context
Many theories help define and explain IPV, as well as its perpetrating factors. For instance, feminism theory claim that IPV links to the historical male dominance in the intimate relationship as asserted by Moore, Easton, and McMahon (2011). In feminists" perspective, males are superior to female in the society, and a female individual is expected to be submissive to their male partners. Any resistance from the female partners thus brings about violence. During any form of violence, female individuals are not expected to defend themselves. As a result, they are affected more than male. Also, Ulibarri et al. (2015) assert that family violence theory can better explain the causes and consequences of the IPV. According to family violence theory, IPV is a matter of intense conflict that stems from stressors that people encounter on their daily life. Examples of such stressors are psychological factors, religious factors, behavioral and physical factors. According to family violence theory, people who are unable to handle pressure stemming from stressors end up involving in different activates such as abusing alcohol and this manifest into various forms of violence such as IPV (Brownridge et al., 2018).
Literature review
According to Caetano, Schafer, and Cunradi (2017), IPV is the lack of agreement between couples that lead to violence. According to this author, different factors lead to such violence. A good example is stress. The authors assert that a partner that is exposed to various stressors such as occupational stress, psychological and financial stress is vulnerable to violence. Also, a partner who is revealed to stressors has a high chance of getting involved in numerous behaviors such as drugs and substance addiction ( Beydoun et al., 2017). This later perpetrates IPV.
Low et al. (2017) discuss a model of IPV based on the control context within the relationship. The model explains three types of IPV that are different both conceptually and etiologically. The first type is the intimate terrorism. This is a close male-to-female aggressive encounter. This includes threatening and even punching. It also manifests into female-to-male aggression which occurs as a result of self-defense during the fighting episode. The result of intimate terrorism is physical assault and fear of the male or female partner. The second type of IPV is violent resistance (Brownridgeet al., 2018). This is a type of IPV that occurs when one partner reacts to assault or verbal abuse from the partner. It is an act of self-defense from the victim of IPV. In the case of violent resistance, the victim is violent, but they are not in control of the situation. The last type of IPV according to Low et al. (2017) is the situational couple violence. It is a bidirectional partner's aggression. Two-way aggression can stem from either of the partners. It also occurs as a result of the reaction to the other partners' aggression.
Weaver et al. (2015) tie IPV with drug and substance abuse addiction. According to this documentation, intimate partner violence mostly occurs among those who abuse drugs and substances. According to research presented in this article, substance use has been found to co-occur in 40% to 60% of IPV incidents. According to this study, the use of alcohol and other drugs increases temper, and this facilitates disagreement that manifests into IPV. The result of this study also indicates that over 20% of all IPV incidents are aided by alcohol intake. According to them, 20% of male individuals who get involved in IPV were drunk before engaging in such fights. The idea receives support from Okuda et al., (2015) that suggest that on a day of massive drug abuse, the rate of IPV increases by 11%. In such a situation, the IPV victims report that their partners or the offenders were drunk or had used an illicit drug.
Wymbs et al. (2017) present a proximal effect model that analyses the relationship between intimate partner’s violence and drug abuse. Proximal effect model aims at establishing a link between substance use and spousal violence. Under proximal effects model, three subcategories help in determining the relationship between substance abuse and spousal violence. The first is the spurious model. This model suggests that the link between substance abuse and their intimate partner's violence stems from other factors that push an individual to use different substances and illicit drugs. “ For example, individuals who are young may tend to be violent and to use drugs; thus, drug use and violence may appear directly related when, in fact, they are not. Although not entirely consistent, the results of several studies suggest that alcohol and other drug use are associated with IPV after controlling for factors thought to be associated with both behaviors such as age, education, socioeconomic or occupational status, and ethnicity” ( Beydoun et al., 2017). The next model is the indirect effect model. This model view substance abuse as destructive behavior. Haggård et al. (2017) that support this idea claim that alcohol and drug abuse are destructive behaviors. They also assert that drug abuse has lasting effects. As a result, drug sets a stage where the user may develop aggressive behavior and this manifest into violence in the house and other places. The third model is the proximal effect model this claim those who consume alcohol, and other substances are likely to engage their spouses in a violent act since alcohol brings about aggressive behavior. According to this model, those who are addicted at risk of developing aggressive behavior that puts them into a position which makes them vulnerable to violence.
In summary, there is a link between drug abuse and intimate partner violence. According to different authors, those who consume illicit drugs and substances are in danger of developing aggressive behavior which manifests into violence. Also, different models prove that intake of alcohol and other substances are a critical factor that facilitates high rate intimate partner violence. As a result, the research certifies hypothesis which stated that drug addiction and substance abuse contributes to IPV.
References
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Brownridge, D. A., Taillieu, T., Chan, K. L., & Piotrowski, C. (2018). Understanding the Elevated Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in Interracial Relationships. Journal of interpersonal violence , 0886260518781803.
Caetano, R., Schafer, J., & Cunradi, C. B. (2017). Alcohol-related intimate partner violence among white, black, and Hispanic couples in the United States. Domestic Violence: The Five Big Questions .
Haggård, U., Freij, I., Danielsson, M., Wenander, D., & Långström, N. (2017). The effectiveness of the IDAP treatment program for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence: A controlled study of criminal recidivism. Journal of interpersonal violence , 32 (7), 1027-1043.
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Low, S., Tiberio, S. S., Shortt, J. W., Capaldi, D. M., & Eddy, J. M. (2017). Associations of couples’ intimate partner violence in young adulthood and substance use: A dyadic approach. Psychology of violence , 7 (1), 120.
Moore, B. C., Easton, C. J., & McMahon, T. J. (2011). Drug abuse and intimate partner violence: A comparative study of opioid ‐ dependent fathers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry , 81 (2), 218-227.
Okuda, M., Olfson, M., Wang, S., Rubio, J. M., Xu, Y., & Blanco, C. (2015). Correlates of intimate partner violence perpetration: results from a National Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of traumatic stress , 28 (1), 49-56.
Ulibarri, M. D., Roesch, S., Rangel, M. G., Staines, H., Amaro, H., & Strathdee, S. A. (2015). “Amar te Duele”(“Love Hurts”): Sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, depression symptoms and HIV risk among female sex workers who use drugs and their non-commercial, steady partners in Mexico. AIDS and Behavior , 19 (1), 9-18.
Weaver, T. L., Gilbert, L., El-Bassel, N., Resnick, H. S., & Noursi, S. (2015). Identifying and intervening with substance-using women exposed to intimate partner violence: phenomenology, comorbidities, and integrated approaches within primary care and other agency settings. Journal of women's health , 24 (1), 51-56.
Wymbs, B. T., Walther, C. A., Cheong, J., Belendiuk, K. A., Pedersen, S. L., Gnagy, E. M., ... & Molina, B. S. (2017). Childhood ADHD potentiates the association between problem drinking and intimate partner violence. Journal of attention disorders , 21 (12), 997-1008.
