Victimisation from Physical Punishment and Intimate Partner Aggression in South Africa : The Role of Revictimisation

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate victimisation from physical punishment during childhood, victimisation from an intimate partner as an adult, and psychological concomitants. Method: A questionnaire was completed by 190 females, 32 males, and three who did not state their sex. The respondents where from South Africa. The mean age was 40.0 years (SD 12.2) for females, and 29.7 years (SD 9.9) for males. Results: For females, victimisation from physical punishment correlated significantly with victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviours. For females, but not for males, victimisation from physical punishment during childhood correlated positively with depression and anxiety later in life. For both females and males, a high significant correlation was found between victimisation from intimate partner physical aggression and controlling behaviours, intimate partner physical aggression also correlated significantly with depression and anxiety. For males, victimisation from controlling behaviours correlated significantly with anxiety. Respondents who had been victimised more than average from physical punishment scored significantly higher than others on victimisation from controlling behaviours, intimate partner physical aggression, depression, and anxiety. Conclusions: It was concluded that victimisation from intimate partner aggression was associated with previous victimisation from physical punishment during childhood and could therefore constitute a form of revictimisation.