Knowledge of students at higher learning institutions on intimate partner violence (IPV)

Abstract

Students who are intimate partners at institutions of higher learning experience an extremely high level of violence during their college or university careers, with prevalence rates ranging between 20% and 50%. The main reason to conduct this study was that Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among college and university students is such a widespread problem, therefore it is important to understand factors that contribute to this form of abuse in higher learning institutions. The study was conducted amongst university students about IPV in students residences, as they often cohabitate during their academic enrolment. Phenomenological research design method was used to conduct the study. Participants were purposively selected based on the fact that they have intimate partners. These were both male and female students, from different cultural backgrounds. The results of the study have shown that there is high rate of IPV amongst students and contributing factors vary including physical abuse (beating, causing injury), emotional abuse (shouting, emotional black mailing) and sexual abuse (rape, harassment).

Keywords: Students. Higher learning institution. Intimate partner violence. Abuse. Knowledge