Publication year
2005
Citation Title
Perpetration of severe intimate partner violence: Premilitary and second year of service rates
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
170
Issue Number
8
Page Numbers
705-09
Summary
Severe intimate partner violence (SIPV) perpetration among female and male Navy personnel during the year before enlistment and the second year of service was examined. A longitudinal design was implemented in which 542 female and 421 male Navy personnel completed four assessments over a period of two years. Overall more reported SIPV perpetration after two years of service than during the year before service (14%, compared with a pre-military rate of 11%).
Key Findings
Pre-military SIPV perpetration rates were significantly higher for women (20%) than for men (4%).
Across the two year study, SIPV perpetration increased among men (from 4% to 16%) and decreased among women (from 20% to 12%).
Respondents who were female, younger, and racial/ethnic minorities reported higher rates of pre-military SIPV perpetration.
Implications for Program Leaders
Continue to provide opportunities for Service members and their families that focus on the prevention of SIPV during the transition into the military
Disseminate information regarding possible warning signs of SIPV to professionals working with young Service members and their partners
Develop online modules that focus on effective relationship building strategies for newly recruited Service members and their partners
Implications for Policy Makers
Promote the development of structured workshops for newly recruited Service members and their partners on healthy relationships
Encourage awareness among professionals working with new military recruits and their partners on the importance of developing programming and support for SIPV victims
Build awareness across military branches around the importance of supporting and promoting health and wellness among Service members and new recruits
Methods
Participants were recruited through a Navy training center in Illinois.
Participants completed the Conflict Tactics Scale during recruitment, six months, one, and two years later.
Statistical analysis examined the differences in SIPV perpetration at different time points among Navy recruits.
Participants
The initial sample included 2,573 women and 2,925 men; however, only 963 participants (542 women and 421 men) completed the initial assessment as well as the 2-year follow-up assessments.
The majority of participants (87%) had a high school degree or the equivalent, most (89%) were single and under the age of 23 years old (89%).
The majority of participants were White (57%), 19% were Black, 13% were Latino, and 11% were other.
Limitations
The loss of participants from the initial assessment to the last assessment may represent a selection bias.
The study relied on self-reported SIPV perpetration, which could have misrepresented the actual number and severity of incidents.
Participants were recruited from one location in the U.S. and were from one age demographic, which could limit generalizability to other regions and ages of Service members.
Avenues for Future Research
Investigate the differences in Service member and civilian populations with regards to changes in patterns and rates of SIPV across time
Examine subgroups of individuals (e.g., those who first initiate SIPV during service, those who continue pre-military patterns of SIPV, and those who cease to perpetrate SIPV during service) to gain insights into the factors that influence changes in patterns of SIPV perpetration
Explore the proximal and causal factors associated with starting, continuing, and stopping SIPV perpetration during service in the Navy
Focus
Navy
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
A longitudinal design was used to compare rates of severe intimate partner violence (SIPV) perpetration during the year before enlistment and the second year of service in a sample of 542 female and 421 male Navy personnel. Overall, 11% reported perpetration of SIPV during the year before service. Pre-military SIPV perpetration rates were significantly higher for women(20%)than for men(4%). After 2years of service,the overall percentage reporting past-year perpetration of SIPV increased slightly (14%, compared with a pre-military rate of 11%). The patterns of changes in rates of SIPV perpetration varied for men and women. Across time, SIPV perpetration increased among men (from 4% to 16%) and decreased among women (from 20% to 12%). Respondents who were female, younger, and minority reported higher rates of pre-military SIPV perpetration. No demographic factors were associated with reports of SIPV perpetration during the second year.
Abstract Document
PRTW Document
Attach