NCJ Number
176703
Date Published
1988
Length
123 pages
Annotation
This study examined the incidence of physical, sexual, and psychological woman abuse among male Canadian university students and the role of male peer support in such abuse.
Abstract
A review of relevant literature is divided into three sections: the incidence of woman abuse in dating relationships; male peer group dynamics and woman abuse; and stress, male peer group dynamics, and woman abuse. The basic components of social support theory are then discussed. Social support, specifically, the role of male peers, is a major component of the theoretical model tested in this study. This model is designed to explain how social interactions (and their nature) with male peers are associated with various forms of female victimization in dating relationships. The model explains that stress factors in dating relationships and social support influence the probability of woman abuse. Dating is associated with stress, and it also encourages men to seek social support from their male peers. Social support from these friends influences the probability of woman abuse. The data for testing this model came from questionnaires distributed to a convenience sample of 333 male undergraduate students attending 1987 summer and fall psychology, sociology, political science, natural science, and administrative studies classes at four Canadian universities. The findings suggest that woman abuse is a serious social problem in southern Ontario universities. The study also shows that male peers may perpetuate and maintain various forms of woman abuse in university dating relationships. It indicates the relevance of informational support and the multidimensional nature of peer support. Further, consistent with Makepeace's findings, there is a strong zero-order relationship between woman abuse and stress. This report suggests types of programs that can be helpful in modifying the violent behavior of men in their dating interactions with women. 20 tables and 224 references