The university campus environment as a protective factor for intimate partner violence against women: An exploratory study.

Some neighborhood characteristics linked to social disorganization theory have been related to intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW). The study of other neighborhood-level factors that may influence IPVAW risk, however, has received less attention. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of university campuses on IPVAW risk. To conduct the study, IPVAW cases from 2011 to 2013 in the city of Valencia, Spain, were geocoded (n = 1,623). Census block groups were used as the neighborhood analysis unit. Distance between each census block group and the nearest university campus was measured. A Bayesian spatial model adjusted for census block group-level characteristics was performed. Results showed that the distance from a university campus was associated with an approximate 7% increase in IPVAW risk per kilometer. These results suggest that university campuses integrated in the city are related to IPVAW risk. Further research is needed to explain the mechanisms involved.