IPV Case Study

The occurrence of IPV is a result of two factors. The first is referred to as an interpersonal category because the abusers might have experienced rejection, which leads to them abusing their partner (Chester & DeWall, 2018). Additionally, interpersonal factors can also cause the aggressive behaviour, since the perpetrator may have difficulties with self-regulation.

The above model shows the interdependence between ultimate, distal and proximal determinants influencing the problem behaviour of a man acting violently against a woman in a relationship.

The problem behaviour of male partners being violent to their female partners can be explained by three proximal determinants. The first proximal determinant is a male’s attitude towards violence against women. Research shows that men who have a more traditional and misogynistic attitude have a higher tendency for intimate partner violence (Flood & Pease, 2009). These attitudes can be formed by different ultimate determinants.

One ultimate determinant that plays a role in the formation of an attitude towards violence against women, is experiences and exposure to violent behaviour

It has been found that anger is a consistent predictor of intimate partner violence (Neal & Edwards, 2015). Whether the man displays actual physical violence towards his intimate partner depends on his perception and attribution of his anger (Neal & Edwards, 2015). The level of anger of a man can rise through relationship conflicts as well as daily stress and the person’s inability to cope with this heightened stress level. If a man wrongly perceives his intimate partner as the reason for his increased anger and makes personal attributions instead of situational or external attributions linked to for example to stress at work or about finances, a man is more likely to be violent in a relationship (Neal & Edwards,