ABSTRACT
There is a robust academic literature that attempts to explain why someone becomes a perpetrator or victim of intimate partner violence (IPV). This research largely focuses on the violent situations experienced by young children within their families. However, there is a scientific gap as there is a violence which is not learnt within the intimate partner relationship but before, and which is not learnt within the family during childhood, but afterwards. In this chapter, we present testimonies that do not follow the predictions established by some previous research. The study adopts a qualitative research approach to examine the life trajectories and experiences of 13 adults. Four key findings are discussed together with testimonies of the different life trajectories of the adults who participated in the study. Some of the participants suffered domestic violence (DV) during childhood while others were not victims as children but experienced IPV in early adulthood. Our findings suggest that experiencing violent first sexual-affective relationships, dating violence, and violent sporadic or stable relationships can contribute to becoming a victim or perpetrator of IPV during adulthood. In addition, other relevant elements must be considered in the analysis of the experience of non-violence, including experiencing positive feelings of passionate/romantic love, friendship, and respect in first intimate relationships, which can enhance satisfactory relationships in adulthood and throughout life. These elements can help practitioners and policymakers promote positive feelings and interactions among peers through friendships and intimate relationships from early ages in schools, families and community contexts, as well as preventing and combating violence throughout life.
