Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence on Academic Performance of Married Female Students

| ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) happens to both genders. However, women experience harsher consequences and are more often to be victims of more extreme types of IPV because women have traditionally been viewed as men's property. Effects of IPV also include academic underachievement because physical and mental health problems caused by IPV affect academic performance. Gender differences exist in the occurrence of IPV. Therefore, this qualitative exploratory case study research has been conducted through in-depth interviews from a feminist perspective to determine how IPV has been influencing the academic performance of married female students. In this study universe of the researchers is Karachi. Researchers used Purposive sampling with a sample size of 10 married female students. Data is analyzed through the thematic analysis method. It is found that significant correlations were observed between IPV and the academic performance of married female students; It has impacted the GPA and completion of the degree. Due to IPV, married female students are experiencing impaired cognition and academic challenges. It decreased academic motivation, college/ university attachment, and attendance of married female students. IPV severely impacted the academic performance of married female students.


Introduction
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious, tragic, and pervasive issue (Nathanson et al., 2012). It is normal for people to believe that their married life would be pleasant and full of happiness, even though the reality they encounter may be far from what they expect, with some couples experiencing lies, deceit, and constant violence (Sitompul et al., 2020). IPV affects people of all ages, ethnicities, races, faiths, socioeconomic status levels, and geographic locations. While the majority of domestic violence research has been centered on the West, Asian countries are becoming more interested in research on domestic violence (Brown, 2014). Women have traditionally been viewed as men's property or as being subservient to them (Andersen & Papazoglou, 2016). Gender differences exist in the occurrence of IPV because women are the most affected ones. Women throughout the world deal with a wide range of problems every day. Unfortunately, domestic violence is one of the most prevalent issues that women, particularly those in third-world nations, must deal with (Rahman et al., 2022). Definitions of violence in intimate relationships might change greatly depending on one's theoretical perspective. DeKeseredy (1997) suggested the following description of woman abuse in intimate relationships, adhering to feminist tradition: Women who are the direct victims of ongoing or repeated physical, psychological, economic, sexual, verbal, and/or spiritual abuse experience a loss of dignity, control, and safety as well as a sense of helplessness and entrapment. Woman abuse is the misuse of power by a husband, intimate partner (whether male or female), ex-husband, or ex-partner against a woman. Forcing women to see violence committed by their husbands, partners, ex-partners, or spouses against their children, other family members, friends, pets, or prized things is another kind of abuse against women (DeKeseredy, 1997). Young women experience harsher consequences and are more likely to be victims of more extreme types of IPV. Four categories of intimate partner violence are recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): psychological aggressiveness, physical violence, stalking, and sexual violence. Psychological aggression refers to the use of both verbal and nonverbal cues to control or inflict mental or emotional harm on a partner. When a partner is hit, kicked, or subjected to other physical force, it is referred to as physical violence. Stalking is a pattern of persistent, unwanted attention and contact from a partner that makes the victim fearful for their safety or the safety of someone close to them. When a partner refuses or is unable to consent, sexual violence refers to forcing or attempting to force them to engage in a sex act, sexual touching, or nonphysical sexual activity (such as sexting) (CDC, 2022). Gender norms that legitimize and defend gender inequality and violence against women are the main cause of violence against women. Gender norms are significantly formed during adolescence (Saeed Ali et al., 2017). A 2018 study identified the following as some of the causes of intimate relationship violence: Cultural, social, legal, economic, environmental, and drug use-related aspects. Many societies have historically given men a sense of ownership over women, allowing them to reprimand or beat them as they see fit. Men were seen as the guardians of women's sexuality and the family's honor, especially in close relationships. As a result, any behavior by a woman that was thought to offend this sense of honor was viewed as punishable. Victims are frequently held accountable for the violence they endure, which makes it challenging for others to report abuse. In addition, women's views are still not heard enough in the media, politics, legal system, and other spheres of influence. It is sometimes believed to be a private family affair, which causes police and other law enforcement organizations to occasionally be hesitant to act and assist victims of intimate partner violence. Abusive partners receive a softer punishment than strangers who have committed the same offenses. IPV is associated with a lower socioeconomic position. One is more likely to harm their intimate partners if they were raised in an abusive home and/or witnessed/experienced domestic abuse. The abuse cycle is a name for this occurrence. Regular use of drugs and alcohol can increase a person's likelihood of being a violent or abusive partner (Gupta, 2022). Patriarchy, acculturation, socioeconomic position, cultural competency, and immigrant status are the sociocultural factors of IPV identified in the research analyzed (Sripada, 2020).
IPV has significant social and financial repercussions that reverberate across society. Women may experience loneliness, be unable to work, lose money, miss out on regular activities, and have limited ability to care for themselves and their children (World Health Organization, 2021). Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a brain pathology characterized by altered brain function, cognitive impairment, and mental health disorders like depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can be caused by severe intimate partner violence (IPV), including loss of consciousness from head injuries and/or strangulation (Cimino et al., 2019). There are several physical and mental health problems associated with IPV, but little is known about how IPV impacts cognitive decline (Williams et al., 2017). Married female students with cognitive impairment have difficulty remembering, picking up new information, focusing, or making judgments that have an impact on their daily lives. Effects of IPV also include academic underachievement of married female students because physical and mental health problems caused by IPV affect academic performance. Economic reliance makes women stay in abusive situations; Education, especially for young women, is a major barrier against economic reliance and re-victimization (Klencakova et al., 2021). Although IPV in Pakistan has been studied since the 1990s, no attempt has been made to thoroughly analyze the current information (Ali et al., 2014). Some signs that a person is a victim of intimate relationship violence include the following: being angry or obviously upset; acting unexpectedly or dramatically; fading into silence and retiring inside themselves; showing signs of personality change, such as diminished confidence and self-worth; always keeping their companion informed; being overly concerned with winning over their lover; skipping away on social or professional obligations without justification; being frightened or uneasy around their companion; exhibiting wounds such as black eyes, bruises, slashes, or fractured bones; bruising, bloodstains, ripped clothing, or bleeding around the genital areas (Gupta, 2022).
Pakistan's government is obligated to defend women against crimes committed by private actors under the Constitution and duties under international law. Domestic abuse legislation has been passed in all Pakistani provinces in this regard. According to Sindh's Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act of 2013, offenders are punished by the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898). In the court of the Judicial Magistrate of first class, a petition for relief may be filed by the person who is harmed or by another person acting on their behalf. The law ensures that a safe place to live would be provided if women are compelled to leave their homes. If a perpetrator of domestic violence is proven guilty, the court may issue protection and residency orders. These orders may further prohibit the perpetrator from committing or assisting in the commission of future crimes of domestic violence, from harming children or other family members, and from removing the victim's goods from the residence. In terms of monetary restitution, the court may issue a temporary order holding the offender financially accountable for maintenance costs, medical expenditures, and property damage. A violation of a protection order or another order may result in jail time, a fine, or both (Nawaz, 2021). The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill 2021 was submitted by the federal government to stop violence against women, but it was purposefully rejected by the Islamic Ideological Council because it was perceived by the opposition as too directly opposing patriarchal violence. The Bill also includes insults and character assassination as types of domestic violence. As a result, the Bill gave women much greater protection by including abuse that goes beyond physical harassment. The Bill further said that domestic abuse would be punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs. 100,000. The Bill also recommended hiring Protection Officers to record domestic abuse cases and gather data (White Ribbon Pakistan, 2022). To stop violence against women, the Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) of Pakistan has launched a free, 24/7 helpline for reporting domestic abuse instances. Calling 1099 or downloading the newly released Helpline 1099 app by the ministry are two ways that people can report incidents (The News International, 2020). When seeking IPV support, women frequently choose to turn to their friends and family. However, when these sources are no longer available, they may hesitate to seek out professional services, especially legal support, for a variety of reasons (Ragusa, 2012). Even if they experience negative mental health symptoms, some women choose not to get help. Sociocultural elements and women's past experiences with violence affect how often they use mental health services (Cho & Kwon, 2017).
IPV was experienced by 28% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 in their lifetimes, according to the 2017-2018 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (Kirmani, 2021). Pakistan has a lower-than-average percentage of women (27%) who have suffered intimate relationship abuse. The percentage of ever-married women (ages 15-49) who have ever experienced IPV is considered to be the most widespread type of violence against women in the world (WorldBank, 2022). In a study on the gender gap around the world, Pakistan was ranked second-worst for gender equality. Pakistan was only ranked 145th out of 146 nations in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) "Global Gender Gap Report 2022," surpassing Afghanistan. The WEF analysis examined gender inequality in 146 nations across four categories: political leadership, health, education, and economic opportunities. Pakistan's educational achievement is ranked 135th (Zahidi, 2022). One of the major barriers to married female students getting an education in Pakistan is the "patriarchy" concept, which stands for male domination and female submission.
The objective is to determine the impacts of intimate partner violence on the academic performance of female married students. The Research questions are: How does Intimate partner violence affect the GPA and degree completion of female married students? How do Intimate partner violence increase impaired cognition and academic challenges of female married students? How does Intimate partner violence decrease academic motivation, college/ university attachment, and attendance of female married students?
The feminist theory was the theoretical framework that the researcher chose to investigate the effects of intimate partner violence on the academic performance of female married students. According to feminist theory, intimate partner violence is a manifestation of men's gender-based dominance over women (Lawson, 2012).
'Domestic violence committed by men against women is "caused" by their abuse of authority and control in a patriarchal environment. Men have authority over women and children because of male privilege, which functions on both an individual and cultural level to preserve this arrangement. The inequality between men and women, which has its roots in patriarchal traditions and encourages males to think they are entitled to power and control over their spouses, can be considered as a cause of domestic violence committed by men against women.'

Literature Review
Since many incidents of intimate partner domestic violence go unreported, Perveen K. et al. (2012) claim that its full impact has not yet been determined. Women have nowhere to turn to flee an abusive relationship in nations like Pakistan, where female reliance is widespread, and divorce is stigmatized. Pakistani society still needs to acknowledge the issue, even though global awareness and condemnation of the issue have increased. According to Prakash J. et al. (2018), IPV is a major and pervasive issue that is frequently ignored. Numerous cultural, political, legal, and economic variables exacerbate the issue. The community needs to be made more aware, especially the medical system, to promote prevention, early detection, and intervention in such situations.  2021), is that females have the propensity to exhibit issues with concentration, absenteeism, and academic disengagement, as well as a decline in a performance like failing grades and higher dropout rates. The frequency, kinds, and determinants of IPV among female nurses and nursing students in a tertiary teaching hospital have been identified by Anikwe, C. C. et al. (2021). In the group under study, IPV prevalence is at an unacceptable level. Healthcare administrators should establish rules to assist nurses and nursing students who have been victims of IPV. There isn't enough information about intimate partner abuse in nursing courses, claim Shaqiqi W. et al. (2022). To improve students' attitudes and confidence in handling IPV, nursing schools must establish effective IPV education that incorporates clinical training. IPV is a significant public health concern that affects students' physical, mental, and academic achievement, according to Özer, E. (2022). It is important to look at the environment in which students live to characterize and comprehend the dating violence that occurs to them during their most productive years. According to Nowshad G. et al. (2022), women with strained relationships with their mother-in-law, those who reside in low-income homes, and those who are married to uneducated partners are more likely to experience IPV. According to Sattar T. et al. (2022), the victimized women accept, tolerate, and support the gender-based oppressive acts of violence and consider them to be "normal life phenomena," endorsing the gender-biased repressive norms and misogynistic behaviors of network interactions. In domestic and social contexts, the previously stated levels serve to uphold the patriarchal status quo, sexist ideology, and hegemonic masculinity.

Methodology
This qualitative exploratory case study research has been conducted through in-depth interviews from a feminist perspective to determine how IPV has been influencing the academic performance of female married students. In this study, the researchers' universe is Karachi. The researchers used Purposive sampling with a sample size of 10 female married students. Data is analyzed through the thematic analysis method.

Results and Discussion
This section is a comparative or descriptive analysis of the study based on the study results, previous literature, etc. The results should be offered in a logical sequence, giving the most important findings first and addressing the stated objectives. The author should deal only with new or important aspects of the results obtained. The relevance of the findings in the context of existing Participants in qualitative interviews shared a range of experiences on how IPV has, directly and indirectly, influenced their academic performance. It is found that significant correlations were observed between IPV and the academic performance of married female students. It has impacted the GPA and completion of the degree. Due to IPV, married female students are experiencing impaired cognition and academic challenges. It decreased academic motivation, college/ university attachment, and attendance of married female students. IPV severely impacted the academic performance of married female students. According to a related study, IPV has a spiral effect, with students believing that its detrimental impacts on their health harm their academic performance (Brewer & Thomas, 2019). Cases 1 to 6 has incomplete degrees due to psychological aggression from the husband. Cases 9 and 10 experienced declines in GPA and lower academic motivation due to psychological aggression from the husband. However, Case 9 has lower attendance too. Cases 7 and 8 shared more details. Case 7 has faced all types of IPV, and the outcomes are impaired cognition, academic challenges, lower college/ university attachment, and lower attendance. Case 8 has faced physical violence and psychological aggression, and the outcomes are declines in GPA, impaired cognition, academic challenges, lower college/ university attachment, and lower attendance. Case 1 is an outstanding student and position holder as well. In the B.com part 1, her husband and in-laws allowed continuing education after marriage. After marriage, they manipulated their words, and their behavior regarding her education changed. She feels stress, mood changes, and anxiety due to psychological aggression from her husband regarding her education. It has impacted the completion of her degree. When the researcher enquired about an incomplete degree, The hopeless-looking Case 2 grinned and continued, "My spouse is conservative. I was consistently discouraged by his ideas and conventional and customary customs. My husband and I belong to the same community. Girls do not attend college in my culture or community. I have to deal with my husband's rage in this situation when I try to finish my education. Case 3 wants to pursue her studies, but her husband does not support her and often tells her, "there is no need for your education; stay at home". According to her, "this form of psychological violence from a husband undermines women's assertiveness or decision-making authority." The best student in the BS 6 semester is Case 4, who has the highest GPA when the researcher questioned her about her post-BS education. "I want to, but my husband does not allow me to seek further education since his family does not want it," she stated, appearing depressed. Since the beginning of my marriage, I have experienced tension and mood swings, but my husband never even brings up the subject. Because of my husband's hostile conduct, I feel scared and nervous around him. Case 5 was questioned about her unfinished degree by the researcher. She didn't speak. She responded when the researcher questioned her once more. "I'm married now, and after marriage, my husband told me to do what his mum says. I can't continue my education because of his mother. When I questioned my husband about it, he reacted angrily and said, 'Obey my mother' I was furious, depressed, and in tears, because I felt like no one was listening to me, and even my spouse disliked discussing this subject. My husband is unconcerned about the terrible stress, worry, and sadness I've been going through". Case 6 is a confident and outgoing individual. She is in Intermediate part 2. When the researcher inquired about education, she responded, "My husband is abroad. He is opposed to my education. He always tries to steer the subject and makes me feel as though my continued study will have a bad effect on our marriage. I feel gloomy about my future educational aspirations because of these kinds of interactions". Case 7 is fairly forthcoming with her story. She used the details of her experience to inspire others. She encountered more intense, different kinds and frequent IPV as she attempted to finish her degree. Around her husband, she feels scared or anxious. She constantly informs her husband and requests his consent when he is not present because she is afraid of losing her husband's permission to continue her education. She thanks her teachers and friends for helping to keep her motivated. She has lower attendance and lower college/ university attachment due to health issues and her husband's authoritarian style. However, she keeps in touch with teachers and friends through calls and messages. Additionally, she uses the internet extensively for her self-study. So, despite having impaired cognition as a result of her experience of IPV after marriage and domestic violence before marriage, she earns a better GPA. Case 8 is a working woman. After being married, she continued her study to acquire a promotion based on a degree. She gets agitated and angry a lot. She frequently takes dramatic or unexpected actions. She is intelligent, but her cognition is impaired. She explained: "My spouse frequently engages in physical and psychological harassment, which leaves me with little free time to study. It interferes with my ability to focus when studying, which lowers my GPA". Case 9 is an introverted person enrolled in B.Ed. she is depressed and anxious about her inability to concentrate on her academics. She was absent from the university for several days, resulting in a low GPA the previous semester. When the researcher inquired about the rationale, she stated that her husband constantly discourages her from studying. Because of her husband's violent behavior, she believes her future is jeopardized. Case 10 is a confident and introverted individual. "I am anxious because my husband calls me names and humiliates me," she explained to the researcher. His attitude toward my education is so upsetting that I am unable to concentrate on my education. I'm not motivated to study, and it's affecting my GPA".
According to a previous study, those who experienced IPV had lower GPAs and more academic difficulties (Brewer et al., 2018). An earlier study found a link between IPV victimization and greater cognitive deterioration (Williams et al., 2017). A study of women

Physical violence Sexual violence Psychological aggression Stalking
with PTSD connected to intimate partner violence found that processing speed was slower than normal, which was related to the severity of mental symptoms (Twamley et al., 2009). According to another study, both the PTSD+ and PTSD-groups showed considerably higher levels of self-perceived cognitive impairments than nonabused women (Kennedy et al., 2001). Furthermore, a study found that IPV participants with PTSD performed worse on learning tasks than adult females who had no IPV in the previous 5 years ( Waite, 2018). Significant associations were found in one study between the intensity of IPV and the amount of PTSD, depression, school disengagement, and academic consequences (Wood et al., 2018). According to one study, the relationships between depressive symptoms, psychological aggression, physical assault, and academic motivation are mediated by depressive symptoms (Mitchell, 2020).
The findings of this study help us understand how IPV affects the academic performance of married female students. The findings of this and future comparable studies could assist in reforming domestic violence laws in Pakistan, where IPV is socially acceptable.

Conclusion
IPV severely impacts the academic performance of married female students. Many married female students stop pursuing education because of the fear of facing more IPV as a consequence. But those married female students who are ready to handle the IPV as a consequence, and continue their education, later realize that completing the degree changes the husband's behavior. Also, education opens more gates of career opportunities which can lead married female students toward financial stability. Socioeconomic status (SES) includes not just money but also the level of education, financial stability, and self-perceived social standing and class. Education can enable women to end violence against women by dealing with IPV with greater confidence and wisdom. But, education and awareness in men and women about IPV can stop IPV before it even happens. Education can decrease the rate of IPV. Extrinsic motivation should thus be provided frequently to female married students for them to complete their degrees. Social media could play a significant role in encouraging married female students to advocate for themselves. Men have more power in our society because they are perceived as earning hands. To prevent violence against women, this power should be shared equally by men and women. Higher education is required for women to obtain well-paying jobs. Education will make women independent enough to financially support their husbands and family. When women are educated, they make good decisions for themselves and for their generation. Before enacting legislation and creating laws, our society's thinking needs to be improved. Talking to youngsters about gender equality, respect, and good views toward girls from an early age may help change the mindset in our culture and decrease violence against women. Any form of violence to show power over others is never appropriate. Partners frequently experience violence in intimate relationships, yet because of the nature of the relationship, the violence frequently goes unreported. More awareness is required among college and university officials, counselors, instructors, and corporate employers to recognize signs of IPV victims who lack academic motivation. The academic performance of married female students suffers as a result of their tendency to skip class, lose attention, and concentrate on their IPV experiences. Furthermore, they abstain from discussions and other activities in class. They neglected to focus during class and instead focused on their unpleasant experiences. They can't participate fully in class as a result. They consequently end up having to retake exams, delaying the completion of their degree. To ensure that professors intervene when married female students are experiencing IPV, additional procedures must be put in place. The limitation of the study is that researchers did not examine married female students who were not victims of IPV. Researchers did not compare the academic performance of married female students who did not experience IPV with that of married female students who did experience IPV.

Recommendations
A variety of factors can both increase and decrease the likelihood of perpetrating and experiencing IPV. To eliminate IPV, we must comprehend what makes people vulnerable to it and what makes them immune to it. Strategies to reduce IPV should be implemented by the government and other relevant individuals. It is a request for government to hire sociologists, psychologists, and educationists for the policy-making process. A technical set of policies, procedures, and programs created to help communities use the best research-based evidence to prevent IPV. This tool can be used to change individual behavior as well as social, familial, and environmental aspects of risk and well-being and encourage the rejection of violence against women in society. IPV can be reduced by promoting a culture of healthy, respectful, and nonviolent relationships and communities. A culture in which misuse of power and controlling others is not romanticized. Counseling programs should be arranged for men and women. The teachers should be trained in counseling skills to assist female married students in coping with the effects of IPV. In a general way, during class, teachers should motivate IPV victims can improve their circumstances by obtaining higher education, technical skills, and professional status. Obtaining higher education can be a social outlet and escape for women who are IPV exposed, and could eventually get them out of the social situation where they are suffering. This study can be replicated in other cities to give a reflection of the whole country on the effects of IPV on the academic performance of married female students. This will ensure better decision-making on ways to curb this problem and improve on academic performance of married female students in the whole country.
Funding: This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest:
The authors declare no conflict of interest.