Bidirectional violence in intimate relationships: The prevalence in a community Portuguese sample

• In Event: Intimate partner violence

Abstract

The literature has been showing that bidirectional violence is the most experienced pattern of violence in intimate relationships and that men and women can be both victims and perpetrators. The present research relied on an online cross-sectional quantitative design, with a total of 754 participants from a community sample in Portugal. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. In this study, we aimed to: a) assess whether bidirectional violence is more prevalent than unidirectional violence; b) identify the typology of violence most suffered and perpetrated; c) explore if there are gender differences in the types of violence suffered and perpetrated; d) examine whether there are differences in the categories victim, perpetrator, and victim-perpetrator in the types of violence suffered and perpetrated; e) explore if bidirectional violence is as prevalent among the LGBTQIA+ community as among heterosexual. The results revealed that bidirectional violence was the most experienced pattern of violence in the last year and that psychological violence was the most suffered and perpetrated type of violence. This research also found that there were significant differences regarding the types of violence suffered and perpetrated and that the victim-perpetrator category showed higher rates of victimization and perpetration. Finally, it was found that there were no differences between LGBTQIA+ and heterosexual individuals in the prevalence rates reported. Overall, the results allowed us to give greater visibility to bidirectional violence, raise awareness to this phenomenon, and to inform the development of prevention and intervention strategies.

Authors

• Andreia Machado, Lusófona University, Hei Lab

• Filipa Branco, Lusófona University

• Olga Cunha, Lusófona University of Porto, Portugal