Intimate Partner Violence among Colombian Population: Exploring Various Types of Abuse.

Abstract

This study explored patterns of intimate partner violence (IPV) among the Colombian population, focusing on six abuse modalities-physical, psychological, sexual abuse due to devaluation, sexual coercion, and the lesser-studied economic and cyber abuse-along with their degree of mutuality and their associations with sociodemographic and behavioral factors including gender, sexual orientation, relationship status, age, Scholar level, and substance abuse. A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, involving 645 participants (non-probabilistic sample) who completed the Partners Abuse Scale. Compared to their counterparts, men, undergraduate students, alcohol-only consumers, and participants without an intimate partner during the study reported higher levels of physical abuse. Additionally, younger individuals were more likely to experience economic and cyber abuse. A general tendency toward mutual abuse across all types of violence was also observed. Overall, this research highlights IPV as a pressing public health concern and emphasizes the need for comprehensive preventive strategies targeting its various forms.