The Role of Social Support in the Use of Intimate Partner Violence

The concept of social support has been found to be a protective factor in womens intimate partner violence victimization. However, little is known about the relationship between womens social support from family and friends and their intimate partner violence perpetration. Research evidence demonstrates that womens perpetration of violence is surprisingly frequent, particularly in women younger than age 30. This study investigated the role of social support in heterosexual womens use and receipt of non-lethal aggression against an intimate partner among 673 female college students. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.