Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Among College Students with Disabilities

Background & Purpose

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major social problem. More than half of college students in the US experience IPV during a dating relationship. However, current studies have focused primarily on general campus populations with little to no attention to students with disabilities, despite prior evidence that this population experiences physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence at similar or higher rates compared to the general population. In addition, few studies have examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult IPV experiences. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of IPV, the patterns of their help-seeking behaviors, and the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult IPV experiences among college students with disabilities.

Methods

Data were derived from an online survey conducted with samples from 4 universities in the US and Canada (n= 4,843) between March 2016 and December 2016. The survey questionnaire included demographics; experiences of IPV; cumulative violence exposure, such as parental and community violence; health status, substance use; help-seeking behavior; and perceived helpfulness. The final analytic sample included 726 college students with disabilities and 4,117 college students without disabilities. Descriptive bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Regression models included the following covariates: gender, race/ethnicity, alcohol and substance abuse in the past 12 months.

Results

College students with disabilities were significantly more likely than college students without disabilities to report that they had experienced IPV, including threats, physical violence, sexual violence, technological violence, and psychological violence. 67% of college students with disabilities had experienced IPV, compared to 58% of college students without disabilities. Among the college students with disabilities who had experienced IPV (n = 376), only 32% reported help-seeking behaviors (n = 120). In particular, 51% sought formal help (i.e., medical services, lawyer, social worker, shelter, police, women’s or men’s program, or other agency or service); however, the majority sought informal help from family, friends, coworkers, or clergy (i.e., 99.9%). Statistically significant relationships were found between adverse childhood experiences, including peer and community victimization; child abuse and neglect; exposure to domestic violence, and other physical and sexual victimization, and adult IPV experiences. Those with adverse childhood experiences were at higher risk of adult IPV experiences. The relationship between cumulative childhood violence experiences and adult violence experiences among college students with disabilities was highly significant after controlling for other IPV risk factors, such as gender, race/ethnicity, and alcohol and substance use (b =.27, t(522) = 6.49, p< .000).

Conclusions & Implications

The results show clear evidence that, compared to the general college population, college students with disabilities experienced higher rates of IVP and adverse childhood experiences. Also troubling is that these students were generally not seeking help from support systems on campus. Furthermore, the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult IPV among college students with disabilities was tremendous and lifelong. Specific, targeted policies and programs are urgently needed to reduce violence against college students with disabilities.