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Social Sciences
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Contemporary Work in Understanding and Reducing Domestic Violence
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Contemporary Work in Understanding and Reducing Domestic Violence

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Family Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1759

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dean Fido

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby DE22 1GB, UK
Interests: domestic abuse; image-based sexual abuse; non-consensual sharing of intimate images; deepfake pornography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am excited to propose an upcoming Special Issue of Social Sciences on “Contemporary Work in Understanding and Reducing Domestic Violence”. Despite emerging data bolstering our understanding of domestic violence and great strides being made to reduce its instances in forensic and general populations, it remains a pervasive and pressing issue worldwide. Within this Special Issue, we call on academics, practitioners, service users, and policy makers to further our knowledge and showcase some of the contemporary developments in this area.

We recognize that domestic violence manifests in many forms, so we welcome manuscripts discussing physical and image-based domestic violence, abuse that comes in the form of financial and social manipulation, and broader sexual coercion. It is vital that we capture under-reached voices within this compilation.

Dr. Dean Fido
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • domestic abuse
  • image-based sexual abuse
  • non-consensual sharing of intimate images
  • inter-partner violence
  • sexual coercion
  • sexual abuse

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 460 KB  
Article
Dating Violence on Post Secondary Campuses: Men’s Experiences
by D. Gaye Warthe, Catherine Carter-Snell and Peter Choate
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(9), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090544 - 9 Sep 2025
Viewed by 701
Abstract
The experience of university students who identify as men and who are victims of dating violence is poorly understood. Services and supports available on campuses and in the community have not typically considered the needs of men. Aim: The purpose of this study [...] Read more.
The experience of university students who identify as men and who are victims of dating violence is poorly understood. Services and supports available on campuses and in the community have not typically considered the needs of men. Aim: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of university men who experienced dating violence, factors influencing awareness, the impact on their lives and decisions to seek support and to disclose. Methods: A grounded theory study, using constructivist methodology was used. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants who identified as male. Thematic analysis was used. Strategies to improve credibility, dependability and auditability were implemented throughout. Findings: A theoretical framework was developed with gender as the central concept, affecting each of the core elements of interest. Most of the men were not initially aware that their experiences were considered dating violence until after leaving the relationship. This awareness was impacted not only by gender stereotypes but by their vulnerability, the context of the campus and the nature of their abuse. The impact of the violence was seen in their isolation, health, guilt and shame, their academic success and in other relationships. Men described issues with various forms of support. Family and faculty were of variable assistance in supporting their recovery. Implications: The findings underscore the need for prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the needs of students identifying as men. There are also potential implications for increased awareness and education for other populations in a post secondary context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Work in Understanding and Reducing Domestic Violence)
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15 pages, 344 KB  
Article
Social Support and Perceived Danger in Intimate Relationships: Gender Differences and the Role of Asymmetrical Support in Couples Experiencing High Conflict and in the General Population
by Wafaa Sowan and Arlette Saba
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(9), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090507 - 22 Aug 2025
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Background: Formal and informal social support networks are crucial for mental well-being, providing a sense of personal security and safety, especially during times of crisis. Aims: The aim of this study is to examine women’s perceptions of their own experiences alongside their perceptions [...] Read more.
Background: Formal and informal social support networks are crucial for mental well-being, providing a sense of personal security and safety, especially during times of crisis. Aims: The aim of this study is to examine women’s perceptions of their own experiences alongside their perceptions of their partners’ experiences in the relationship between social support and the sense of danger within intimate relationships, based solely on women’s self-reports. It compares couples experiencing high-intensity conflict (particularly related to separation) with couples from the general population, and explores how the distribution of social support, whether received by the woman, the man, both, or neither is associated with feelings of danger. Methods: The sample comprised 165 women from two subsamples: 70 women from the general population and 95 women engaged in high-intensity intimate conflict, who were undergoing separation proceedings. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires, which included the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and a custom questionnaire for Sense of Danger from the Partner. No direct data were collected from male partners; women provided both their own reports and their perceptions of their partner’s experiences. Repeated measures analysis was performed to examine the sense of danger as perceived for both themselves and their partners. Results: The analysis shows that the higher the level of social support, the weaker the sense of danger reported by women for themselves and for their partners. It also reveals that the sense of danger (both self-reported and attributed to the partner) is stronger among couples engaged in high-intensity conflict than among those in the general population, and that women report a stronger sense of danger for themselves than they attribute to their men. Importantly, when social support is provided to only one partner, it is associated with a higher sense of danger in the other partner. Conclusions: Social support has been associated with lower reported feelings of danger in intimate relationships. However, when support is given to only one partner, it may increase the other partner’s sense of danger. These findings highlight the need for balanced support for both partners in order to reduce tension and promote a greater sense of safety during times of conflict. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Work in Understanding and Reducing Domestic Violence)
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