Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in Young to Middle Adulthood: Associations With Respondent Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Partner Gender

Violence Vict. 2024 Oct 1:VV-2023-0100.R1. doi: 10.1891/VV-2023-0100. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

We estimate past-year physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence from early to middle adulthood, examining associations with respondent gender, sexual orientation, and partner gender. We used three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. For each wave, we estimated IPV prevalence, stratified by gender, sexual orientation, and partner gender. Findings indicate that diverse-sexual males and females are more likely to experience IPV compared to heterosexuals. Further, diverse-sexual males are less likely to experience physical and sexual IPV if they have a same-gender partner. In contrast, heterosexual males are more likely to experience physical and sexual IPV if they have same-gender partners. All females were more likely to experience physical and sexual violence if they have different-gender partners.

Keywords: gender; intimate partner violence; national study; prevalence; sexual orientation.