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Abstract
Perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) are more likely to have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACES) than the general population (e.g., Whitfield, Anda, Dube, & Felitti, 2003). Despite this association, occurrence of ACES does not necessarily lead to the development of patterned abusive behavior (Godbout et al., 2017). To understand the link between ACES and IPV perpetration, Godbout et al. (2017) suggest that research must consider a complex array of intra- and interpersonal experiences. For this project, we used ethnographic methods, including participant observation at a local batterer intervention program (BIP) and semi-structured interviews with 15 male IPV perpetrators to explore the individual experiences in greater detail. The data were analyzed using a combination of concept-driven, open, and axial coding, creating an inductive and iterative process for interpretation (e.g., Manning & Kunkel, 2014). Participants’ reports revealed high frequency of often co-occurring ACES, with patterns of negative messages about self-worth, beliefs about personal responsibility for experiences of abuse, and both feelings of powerlessness in the face of abusers and the need to feel powerful. Results are discussed regarding the theoretical understanding of individual differences among IPV perpetrators. Specifically, we address the practical need to expand our investigation of ACES, as experienced by IPV perpetrators, to include more varied types of abuse and household dysfunction.
Keywords
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Intimate Partner Violence, IPV Perpetrator, Batterer Intervention Program, Ethnography, Participant Observation, Semi-Structured Interviews
Acknowledgements
This manuscript is based on the first author’s (Natalie Hoskins) Ph.D. dissertation (2017) for her doctoral degree, which was directed by the second author (Adrianne Kunkel). In addition, some of the data featured in this paper was presented at the 2017 Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender (OSCLG) convention in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the 2017 National Communication Association (NCA) convention in Dallas, Texas.
Publication Date
4-19-2020
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
DOI
10.46743/2160-3715/2020.3938
Recommended APA Citation
Hoskins, N., & Kunkel, A. (2020). "I Don’t Even Deserve a Chance": An Ethnographic Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence. The Qualitative Report, 25(4), 1009-1037. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2020.3938
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Health Communication Commons, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons
