Domestic violence: Impact of educational sabotage

Educational sabotage is a form of coercive control that directly affects a survivor's efforts to obtain educational credentials, said Rachel Voth Schrag, assistant professor in the School of Social Work. Tactics include disruption of financial aid or academic efforts, physical violence and inducing guilt related to academic efforts.

Those strategies are a serious hindrance to the successful completion of educational programs and, ultimately, the economic independence and safety of survivors, she said.

"This form of violence is used by one of the partners as a means for furthering their own power and control over the other partner," Voth Schrag said. "Pursing higher education can be perceived as a threat by the abusing party."

In the study, participants identified several ways in which educational sabotage affected their lives. Impacts included diminished academic achievement, emotional or mental health challenges, and, positively, an increased desire to overcome such obstacles.

Educational sabotage is considered a form of intimate partner violence, which is a factor in 16.5% of all homicides in the U.S., according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency estimates one in four women and nearly one in 10 men have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetime.

Pursuing higher education can a catalyst for breaking out of the isolation and cycles of dependency that often accompany IPV. According to Voth Schrag's study, "by understanding, addressing, and preventing school sabotage, scholars, institutions of higher education, and their community partners have an opportunity to make an important contribution to the well-being and safety of students."