Session: Gazing into Intimate Partner Violence Among College Students through Their Race, Gender, and Disability (Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference - Achieving Equal Opportunity, Equity, and Justice)

Several dominant paradigms of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) studies are questionable. Gender asymmetry paradigm views IPV as violence against female victims by male perpetrators. Indeed, IPV is interactional between intimate partners. IPV can be perceived as the issue for adults. However, the onset of IPV appears to be early, and lifetime IPV prevalence among college students is already similar to the prevalence among adults. Our knowledge of IPV is limited to an understanding of the nature and factors targeting general college students by minimizing minority students' experience. Therefore, this symposium aims to expand such dominant paradigms by uncovering the experience of underrepresented college students regarding IPV victimization and perpetration, and/or help-seeking behaviors through their race, gender, and disability.

The symposium includes the following 3 abstracts: Abstract 1. Title: Intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration among Black college students Purpose: To explore help-seeking behaviors and factors predicting IPV victimization and perpetration among Black college students. Abstract 2. Title: Victimization and perpetration between heterosexual dating partners: Moderator effects of gender on a causal model including community cohesiveness, adverse childhood experience (ACE), and mental health factors Purpose: To investigate whether gender moderates victimization/perpetration of IPV in relation to contextual variables. Abstract 3. Title: Intimate partner violence victimization among college students with disabilities Purpose: To examine the prevalence of IPV, the patterns of their help-seeking behaviors, and the relationship between ACE and IPV experiences among college students with disabilities.

Three abstracts used a primary data collected from college students (N=4,843) attending in 4 universities in the U.S. and Canada from March to December 2016. The samples were 155 black students (Abstract 1); 1,313 female and 475 male students (Abstract 2); and 726 students with disabilities (Abstract 3). Participants in all 3 abstracts had been in relationships with an abusive partner in their lifetime.

Key findings from Abstract 1 showed that Black college students tend to be both IPV victims and perpetrators. Only about 25% of the students had ever told someone of their IPV experience. 50 participants did not seek help because IPV is a private or personal matter. Key findings from Abstract 2 indicated that female students were more likely than male students to be victims and perpetrators of IPV. Gender was not confirmed as a moderating factor in the relationships among IPV victimization/Perpetration, ACE, Current/Past Community Cohesiveness, and Mental Health. Key findings from Abstract 3 were IPV and ACE were more prevalent among students with disabilities than those without disabilities. 32% of the students sought help. The impact of ACE on IPV among college students with disabilities was tremendous and lifelong. Overarching findings highlight that IPV victimization and perpetuation are co-occurring. Black students and students with disabilities underutilize help due to IPV. ACE was an important predictor of IPV victimization/perpetration.

The findings suggest targeted recommendations for future intervention and research. IPV prevention efforts should aim to raise awareness of IPV and change their help-seeking attitudes especially for females, Black, and students with disabilities. Future research needs to refine models predicting IPV victimization/perpetration.