Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, Camberwell, London, SE5 8AB, UK.
King's Centre for Military Health Research, Weston Education Centre, King's College London, 10 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RJ, UK.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2022 Sep;57(9):1795-1805. doi: 10.1007/s00127-022-02317-8. Epub 2022 Jun 5.
Risk of violence by UK military personnel, both towards non-family and family, has been found to be higher post-deployment. However, no UK research to date has attempted to examine relationship conflict and intimate partner violence (IPV) in this period. This study estimated the prevalence of and risk factors for post-deployment relationship conflict and partner violence in UK military personnel.
We utilised data on military personnel who had deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan (n = 5437), drawn from a large cohort study into the health and well-being of UK military personnel.
34.7% reported relationship conflict (arguing with partner) and 3.4% reported perpetrating physical IPV post-deployment. Males were more likely than females to report relationship conflict. There were similar rates of self-reported physical IPV perpetration among males and females. Among our male sample, factors associated with both relationship conflict and physical IPV perpetration post-deployment included being in the Army compared with the Royal Air Force, higher levels of childhood adversity, higher levels of military trauma exposure and recent mental health and alcohol misuse problems. Being over 40 at time of deployment (vs being under 25) and having deployed in a combat role were also associated with relationship conflict, but not physical IPV perpetration.
Deployment-related variables and mental health and alcohol misuse problems were found to be key factors associated with post-deployment relationship conflict and IPV. Services providing health or welfare support to military personnel must collaborate with mental health services and consider history of deployment, and particularly deployment-related trauma, in their assessments to improve identification and management of intimate partner violence and abuse in military communities.
英国军人无论是对非家庭成员还是家庭成员的暴力风险在部署后被发现更高。然而，迄今为止，英国没有任何研究试图在这一时期检查关系冲突和亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）。本研究估计了英国军人部署后关系冲突和伴侣暴力的流行率和危险因素。
我们利用了来自一项关于英国军人健康和福利的大型队列研究中关于部署到伊拉克和/或阿富汗的军人的数据（n=5437）。
34.7%的人报告了关系冲突（与伴侣争吵），3.4%的人报告了部署后的身体 IPV 行为。男性比女性更有可能报告关系冲突。男性和女性自我报告的身体 IPV 行为发生率相似。在我们的男性样本中，与部署后关系冲突和身体 IPV 行为相关的因素包括与皇家空军相比，在陆军服役、童年逆境程度更高、军事创伤暴露程度更高、近期心理健康和酒精滥用问题更多。与 25 岁以下相比，40 岁以上的人（vs. 25 岁以下）以及部署在战斗角色的人也与关系冲突有关，但与身体 IPV 行为无关。
与部署相关的变量以及心理健康和酒精滥用问题是与部署后关系冲突和 IPV 相关的关键因素。为军人提供健康或福利支持的服务机构必须与心理健康服务机构合作，并在评估中考虑部署历史，特别是与部署相关的创伤，以改善对军事社区中亲密伴侣暴力和虐待的识别和管理。
