Sex Differences in Perpetration of Low Intensity Intimate Partner Aggression in South Sudan

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate sex differences in perpetration of low intensity intimate partner aggression in South Sudan, to compare levels of perpetration and victimisation, and further to test whether the revised gender symmetry theory (Archer, 2018) could be applicable in an African country. A questionnaire was filled in by 302 females and 118 males in South Sudan, the mean age was 22.5 years (SD 8.4) for women, and 25.6 years (SD 7.8) for men. Intimate partner aggression was measured with self-reports using both the perpetrator and the victim versions of the Direct Indirect Aggression Scales for Adults (DIAS-Adult; Österman & Björkqvist, 2009), which measures seven types of aggressive behavoiurs. The results showed no significant difference between females and males on perpetration of five out of seven types of aggression; physical, verbal and nonverbal aggression, as well as direct and indirect aggressive social manipulation. For females, levels of victimisation and perpetration of aggression were equally high; this was the case for all seven types of aggression while, for males, victimisation was significantly higher than perpetration on three types of aggression. The results provide support for the revised gender symmetry theory in an African developing country.