Sexual Double Standards and Violence in Intimate Partner Relationships: The Role of Empathy in the Consumption of Online Sexual Content

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fit of an explanatory theoretical model of the relationship between sexual double standards (SDS) and violence in intimate partner relationships when empathy and online access to sexual material are taken into account. Cluster sampling was used to select 490 university students for participation in the study. The mean age of the participants was 21.89 years (<i>SD</i> = 3.52) and 70% were female. A battery of questionnaires was administered comprising the SDS scale, the sexuality on the internet and social networks questionnaire (CSRI-1), interpersonal reactivity index, and the intimate partner violence (IPV) questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered in a group-classroom setting. The results show that empathy acts as a protective and mediating variable because it reduces the impact of online sexual material on violent behavior. In addition, it was seen that the consumption of online sexual material has a direct impact on IPV and SDS. These findings point to the importance of taking empathy and the consumption of online sexual material into account in the development of prevention and intervention programs for tackling violence in young couples.