Intimate Partner Violence Among Female Croatian University Students

Matea Matić Ličanin; Jakov Milić; Ivan Miškulin; Lea Dumić; Jelena Kovačević; Almina Bajrektarević Kehić; Vedrana Lanc Čurdinjaković; Petra Puž Britvić; Ivica Fotez; Maja Miškulin*

doi:10.26332/seemedj.v8i1.303

Matea Matić Ličanin Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Jakov Milić Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Miškulin Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7238-2341
Lea Dumić Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Jelena Kovačević Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Almina Bajrektarević Kehić Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Vedrana Lanc Čurdinjaković Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Petra Puž Britvić Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ivica Fotez Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Maja Miškulin* Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7330-3019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26332/seemedj.v8i1.303

Abstract

Aim: Intimate partner violence (IPV) among university student populations is an important public health challenge with persistent negative consequences. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of IPV among female Croatian university students and to investigate possible risk factors for its occurrence.

Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted on a convenient sample of undergraduate and graduate female university students at the University of Osijek in April 2015.

Results: The overall prevalence of all forms of IPV in the studied population was 64.3%. Physical violence was reported by 3.3%, psychological violence by 59.8%, controlling behavior or coercive control as a special form of psychological violence by 40.2%, sexual violence by 4.8%, and economic abuse by 9.6% of female students. Sexual violence and economic abuse were more frequent among graduate female students (p<0.001 and p=0.010, respectively). Female students who repeated the year of study were more frequently exposed to sexual violence (p=0.005). Overall IPV was more frequent among female students who studied within the field of humanities (p=0.045). Female students who studied within the field of humanities were more frequently exposed to physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, and economic abuse (p<0.001, p=0.006, p<0.001, and p=0.033, respectively).

Conclusion: IPV was highly prevalent among female Croatian university students and some sociodemographic and academic characteristics of those students seem to influence the observed prevalence of various IPV forms. Specific preventive programs adjusted to university settings are needed to successfully combat IPV in the studied population.