Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Victims’ Perceived Interpretation of the Root Cause of Offenders’ Violence

• In Event: Qualitative and Quantitative Research on Intimate Partner Violence, Interpersonal Violence, Peer Influence, and Deviant Modeling

Abstract

There are various explanations of what leads individuals to abuse their partners. As the victims of intimate partner violence (IPV ) might have a unique understanding of the causes of their partners’ abusive behaviors, this study focused on narratives of victims about their abusers. In addition, victims can provide a more objective understanding of perpetrators’ behaviors as they not only observe their partners’ violent behaviors but also of their routine behaviors in everyday life. Through in-depth interviews with 16 Korean immigrant intimate partner violence victims, this study examines the causes of violence as interpreted by their partners. Thematic analysis has been used to understand the phenomenon. From victims’ narratives, four themes were found as predictors of current violence behaviors.

Author

• Chunrye Kim, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center