Rethinking intimate partner violence beyond boundaries: an exploratory and multidimensional analysis

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health and social issue that affects individuals across diverse relationships, gender identities, and sexual orientations. While traditional IPV research has primarily focused on male-perpetrated violence against female victims, emerging evidence indicates a more complex and often bidirectional pattern of abuse among couples. This PhD thesis consists of two studies that address key gaps in the IPV research. The first study investigated IPV dynamics in the Spanish population using a quantitative, self-administered questionnaire with standardized measures. This survey-based research explored the prevalence of various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, psychological, cyber, parental alienating behaviors, SGM-specific, economic, and reproductive abuse. It also examined the physical and socioemotional consequences of IPV, patterns of help-seeking, and the barriers to seeking help. The findings suggest that IPV is not a gender-specific phenomenon, with male victims in opposite-sex relationships and Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) individuals reporting significant rates of violence and bidirectionality. The patterns of IPV observed indicate that this multifaceted problem affects individuals regardless of their gender or background. This study contributes to IPV research by providing empirical insights and reinforcing the need for a gender-inclusive and intersectional approach to IPV policy, intervention, and legal protections. The second study marks the first steps towards validating the Reproductive Coercion and Parenthood Control (RCPC) Scale, a new instrument designed to assess reproductive abuse across diverse victim demographics. Using data from three distinct samples of individuals who reported experiencing a conflictive intimate relationship (two in Spanish and one in English), the study focuses on the scale's development, standardization, and psychometric properties. The instrument consistently identified reproductive control behaviors as a distinct component of IPV, which correlated with other abuse indicators. With a strong internal reliability (KR-20 = 0.80), this instrument requires further testing to ensure its robustness and reliability across populations. Together, these studies contribute to a more nuanced understanding of IPV by broadening its conceptualization, refining measurement tools, and advocating for inclusive prevention strategies and support services for marginalized victim groups.