Pandemic Pressures: Social Isolation and Economic Hardship as Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

• In Event: 30662 - Section on Crime, Law, and Deviance Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 9: Violence, Pathways to Crime, Life Course

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners have argued that the COVID-19 pandemic corresponded to an increase in intimate partner violence (IPV). This trend is thought to be driven by social and economic fallout from the pandemic, but there is limited research that has empirically examined this connection, particularly in terms of how the pandemic affected IPV perpetrators. Such research could inform policy and interventions aimed at preventing IPV, particularly during times of social upheaval or crisis. The present study takes a strain-theoretic approach, drawing on recent, representative survey data from the United States (N=1,204) to examine the extent to which social isolation and financial hardship during the first year of the pandemic – i.e., “pandemic pressures” – influenced IPV offending risk. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association between these pressures and the probability of perpetrating IPV, net of other social and demographic factors. Next, we employed the Karlson, Holm, Breen (KHB) method to estimate the extent to which these associations were mediated by negative emotional affect. Consistent with our expectations, we found both social isolation and financial hardship to be associated with increased risk of IPV offending, even after adjusting for a host of respondent sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, the mediation analyses revealed that substantial portions of both associations were underpinned by negative emotions, particularly anxiety and anger. These findings suggest that, in addition to elevating risk of IPV through how it affected victims (e.g., increased exposure to violent partner, isolation from social support, loss of financial resources), the pandemic also impacted IPV by raising levels of criminogenic strain and consequent risk of offending. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for criminological scholarship and practical efforts to combat IPV.

Authors

• Christopher H. Seto, Purdue University

• Popy Begum, Saint Louis University

• Sakshi Mohanty, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

• Savannah Brooks

• Laura Upenieks, Baylor University