NCJ Number
217007
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 21 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 779-795
Date Published
December 2006
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships among sociodemographic variables and attitudes toward and beliefs about domestic violence among college students.
Abstract
Consistent with the findings of the study by Worden and Carlson (2005), the current study found that respondents were more likely to view domestic violence as having a male perpetrator and a female victim than vice versa, although a substantial percentage of the current sample endorsed the belief that some domestic violence is caused by women starting physical fights. Further, the majority of students believed that most women victims of domestic violence could find a way to get out of an abusive relationship if they had sufficient determination to do so. Contrary to previous studies and expectations, race and ethnicity, father's education, mother's education, family income, parents' marital status, and relationship status were not significantly correlated with beliefs about physical and sexual abuse or beliefs about verbal abuse. Women were found to be better informed than men about the causes of domestic violence based on empirical studies. They were less inclined than men to believe myths about domestic violence. Data from the Relationship Characteristics Study conducted in 2001, which involved a sample of 1,938 college students, was used to replicate and extend the research of Carlson and Worden (2001 and 2005). Carlson and Worden developed the attitudes and beliefs items used in the current study. 6 tables and 27 references