What are the signs that can predict violent behavior from your partner?

Is it possible to predict whether your partner will have violent attitudes? According to a Canadian study, published in the magazine Social Psychological and Personality Science
, there are signs that can predict aggressive behavior. «Domestic violence is widespread and can have serious repercussions on physical and psychological health. Although more research is needed, these warning signs may be useful for avoiding “sick” relationships or helping friends or family members who are at risk of abuse,” says Nicolyn Charlot, of the University of Western Ontario in Canada, first author of the work. Researchers have shown that the number of warning signs a person experiences and their frequency predict abuse. In other words, explains Charlot, one or two occasional episodes are not worrying, but the presence of multiple repeated episodes is.

“Suspicious” behavior

The researchers presented 147 participants with a list of 200 abusive and non-abusing thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Volunteers indicated how often each item had occurred since they started dating their partner. In a second study, conducted on 355 people, the same authors identified the warning signs that can predict an act of violence (physical, psychological, sexual) six months later. A partner who behaves arrogantly, reacts aggressively when receiving a negative response, ignores the opinions of his partner because they are not the same as his own: these are some of the episodes not to be underestimated. But, although these signs may precede violence, this does not mean that all people who experience them will experience an aggressive act in the family.

Arrogance and disagreement about sex

In particular, seven warning signs were found to be predictors of violence in both studies: therefore they are particularly important for identifying potentially “toxic” relationships, right from the early stages of dating. Here are the behaviors that predicted abuse in both studies: “My partner behaved arrogantly”; “My partner and I disagreed on a sexual topic”; “My partner and I had sex, even though I wasn't in the mood”; «My partner created an uncomfortable situation in public»; «My partner ignored my reasoning because it didn't agree with his»; «My partner reacted negatively when I said no to something he wanted»; “My partner resented those who asked him how he treated me.”

Early stages of the relationship

The authors of the study point out that identifying warning signs is difficult because some behaviors may not be problematic if they occur in isolation or infrequently: it is the intensity, frequency or “constellation” of signals (i.e. the presentation of multiple risky attitudes) that are associated with violence. These are therefore thoughts, feelings or behaviors that predict abuse, but — in many cases — are not inherently violent. It is important to identify these early in the relationship, when it is easier to escape from the “vicious circle”. In fact, one of the biggest problems concerns the inability of many people to leave a violent relationship.

Avoid violence

Canadian researchers have identified the main reasons why you don't leave an aggressive partner: among these are the absence of alternative means of economic support, concern for children and lack of social support. «More efforts are needed to help people avoid investing in a relationship that could become violent – ​​explain the authors -. Identifying warning signs could be an effective way to avoid violence before it occurs».

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