Cyber Abuse And College Students: New Risk Factors In Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Intimate partner violence has far-ranging consequences that affect every aspect of society. While much research has been done to examine the risk factors and demographics for physical violence, realization is growing that psychological and emotional violence may also cause significant harm to its victims. New technologies such as cell phones and computers have enabled perpetrators to intimidate, isolate, and stalk their victims in new and damaging ways. Certain populations such as college students are thought to be at particular risk for the effects of this type of intimate partner violence for several reasons, including their high risk for physical violence and their frequent use of cyber technology. The purpose of this study was to examine the risk factors among college students for both cyber victimization and cyber perpetration of abuse in an intimate relationship. The Routine Activities Theory was used to test this research question, using the known correlation between risk taking behaviors and intimate partner violence to define the independent variable and the dependent variable. Three mediating factors of online exposure, disclosure, and perceived risk of engaging in abusive activity were examined in an expectation of correlation between these factors and the dependent variables of cyber victimization and perpetration. This study used an online survey instrument to perform a quantitative study to explore the routine cyber habits of college students as possible risk factors for cyber abuse. The findings supported the model tested, although sample size limited the significance of the mediating factors. The implications of these findings on the study of and prevention of intimate partner violence in college students were discussed.