Attitudes of U.S. Adults towards Coercive Control as a Function of Victim and Perpetrator Gender and Respondent Sexual Orientation

Intimate partner violence research has overwhelmingly focused on women victims of men perpetrators, yet men and LGBTQ+ individuals similarly remain at risk of victimisation. There is limited evidence regarding what factors influence attitudes toward coercive control. The current study explored the associations of victim and perpetrator gender, victim-perpetrator sexual orientation, and respondent sexual orientation with attitudes toward coercive control. Participants (n=1872) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions which varied in terms of victim and perpetrator gender. Participants were presented with different coercive control scenarios (obvious; less obvious; LGBTQ-specific) and then indicated their agreement to 10 attitudinal statements. The effects of victim and perpetrator gender, victim-perpetrator sexual orientation, and respondent sexual orientation were examined via MANOVA and multilevel mixed-effects linear models. For less obvious scenarios, there was stronger agreement that the victim would be afraid and at risk of physical harm, when the victim was a woman and perpetrator a man; there was stronger agreement regarding the need to report and criminalise such behaviours when the victim was a woman. The sexual orientation of the victim and perpetrator was not significantly related to the public’s attitudes toward coercive control. LGBTQ+ respondents indicated less concern regarding coercive control compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Men and LGBTQ+ victims of coercive control are at risk due to either the public’s attitudes or attitudes they hold themselves about coercive control. Consequently, public health messages should be designed to communicate that anyone can be victim of coercive control regardless of gender and sexual orientation.