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Child Abuse and the Experience of Violence in College Dating Relationships: Examining the Moderating Effect of Gender and Race

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Abstract

Prior research suggests that being abused during childhood significantly increases one’s risk for the involvement in violent intimate relationships across the life course. The current study contributes to the literature by using a large sample of college students to explore the moderating effects of race and gender on the relationship between child abuse and later experiences of intimate partner violence. Results indicate that for both men and women, child abuse increases the risk for dating violence. Findings also suggest that specific race and gender combinations moderate the relationship between child abuse and later experiences of IPV, specifically regarding the risk for mutual or bidirectional violence. Implications for prevention and intervention and directions for future research are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918, USA

    Catherine Kaukinen & Laurie Buchanan

  2. University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Angela R. Gover

Authors
  1. Catherine Kaukinen
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  2. Laurie Buchanan
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  3. Angela R. Gover
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Correspondence to Catherine Kaukinen.

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Kaukinen, C., Buchanan, L. & Gover, A.R. Child Abuse and the Experience of Violence in College Dating Relationships: Examining the Moderating Effect of Gender and Race. J Fam Viol 30, 1079–1092 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9731-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9731-9

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