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Research has indicated victimization is pervasive among incarcerated women. Yet, there is little research that examines the linkage between various victimization among female prisoners. The empirical aim of this study is to examine the association between childhood maltreatment and victimization from physical intimate partner violence among incarcerated women in Taiwan. To understand the various pathways to victimization of physical intimate partner violence, we also assess the mediating effects of risky life styles, low self-control, and prostitution on victimization from physical intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed based on surveys conducted with 686 incarcerated women in various prisons in Taiwan. Structural equation analysis was conducted to examine the direct and indirect relationships between childhood maltreatment, risky life styles, low self-control, prostitution, and victimization of physical intimate partner violence. Individuals who experienced childhood maltreatment were found more likely to engage in risky leisure activities, and to enter prostitution. Additionally, such individuals usually experienced low self-control. Low self-control was found to mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and victimization from physical intimate partner violence. In other words, maltreated individuals in childhood were more likely to become victims of physical intimate partner violence through low self-control. The findings suggest that to prevent women offenders from re-victimization, it is important to address their childhood maltreatment issues. Early intervention may help deter these maltreated individuals from risky life styles and from engaging in prostitution, which may reduce their vulnerability to becoming victims of physical intimate partner violence., Author(s): Yu-Shu Chen [sup.1] , Doris C. Chu [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411041.1, 0000 0004 0638 8704, Central Police University, , Taoyuan City, Taiwan (2) grid.412047.4, 0000 0004 0532 3650, [...]

Although there has been a growing body of empirical research that examines the prevalence rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated factors in Chinese societies, few studies have examined IPV survivors' help-seeking patterns. Drawing on data from a nationwide survey among the general public in mainland China, the present study sought to investigate help-seeking decisions and associated factors among Chinese women survivors of IPV. The sample consisted of 488 IPV survivors who self-identified as heterosexual women in China. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing participants' help-seeking decisions (help-seeking versus non-help-seeking) and non-help-seeking reasons. A latent class analysis (LCA) was used to explore help-seeking patterns among those who sought help. Multinomial logistic regression analyses, as part of the 3-step LCA approach, were employed to locate significant factors associated with distinct help-seeking patterns identified in the LCA. Over two-thirds of the survivors (73.4%) did not seek help. Among the 26.6% of survivors who sought help, the majority sought support from family and friends, rather than professional services. The main reasons for not seeking help include (a) the belief that they could handle the situation by themselves, (b) not knowing to whom they could turn for help, and (c) the belief that the violence experienced was not severe. IPV type and several relationship-related factors stood out as key predictors for different help-seeking decisions. Implications for future research and practice in the context of China are discussed., Author(s): Ran Hu [sup.1] , Jia Xue [sup.2] , Kai Lin [sup.3] , Ivan Y. Sun [sup.4] , Yuning Wu [sup.5] , Xiying Wang [sup.6] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.17063.33, 0000 [...]

Indigenous peoples of Canada face an elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. Few empirical studies have been conducted to understand this elevated risk, and none have examined child maltreatment (CM) as a predictor. This study used data on a nationally representative sample of 20,446 Canadians to examine CM and proximal risk factors for IPV against Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents. Results showed that Indigenous respondents had greater risk of experiencing both CM and IPV. All three forms of CM (exposure to violence, direct physical and/or sexual abuse victimization, as well as both exposure and direct victimization) were associated with increased odds of IPV in adulthood. CM along with proximal risk factors accounted for Indigenous peoples' elevated odds of IPV (AOR = 1.62; NS). These results were consistent with the theory that Indigenous peoples' elevated risk of IPV is largely due to effects of historical trauma from past and continuing colonization. Reducing Indigenous peoples' disproportionate risk of IPV requires efforts to reduce CM and its negative developmental effects among Indigenous peoples as well as resolving the manifestations of historical and contemporary trauma within Indigenous society., Author(s): Douglas A. Brownridge [sup.1] , Tamara Taillieu [sup.2] , Tracie Afifi [sup.3] , Ko Ling Chan [sup.4] , Clifton Emery [sup.5] , Josee Lavoie [sup.1] , Frank Elgar [sup.6] [...]

Wife abuse is a major public health and human rights problem. Using an ecological framework, data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2005-2006) of 3446 women were analyzed to determine the factors associated with wife abuse in urban and rural Tamil Nadu, India. The prevalence rate of wife abuse in the year prior to the interview was 25.8% and was similar across urban and rural areas. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that in urban and rural Tamil Nadu, the micro level variables explained the highest percentage of variance in wife abuse followed by the ontogenetic, the exo system, and the macro system variables. Some of the variables that were significantly associated with wife abuse in Tamil Nadu were witnessing parental violence, drinking habit in husbands, emotional abuse, patriarchal ideology, and positive attitudes towards abuse. Implications of the results are discussed within the socio-cultural milieu of the respondents. Keywords Wife abuse * India * Battered women * Ecological theory, Wife abuse is a major psychosocial, health, and human rights problem throughout the world. Global data from 48 studies show that, at some point in their lives, 10 to 69% [...]

This essay examines domestic homicide in early twentieth-century New Orleans. African-American residents killed their domestic partners at eight times the rate of white New Orleanians, and these homicides were most often committed by women, who killed their partners at fifteen times the rate of white women. Common-law marriages proved to be especially violent among African-American residents. Based on nearly two hundred cases identified in police records and other sources as partner killings between 1925 and 1945, this analysis compares lethal violence in legal marriages and in common-law unions. It also explores the social and institutional forces that buffeted common-law marriages, making this the most violent domestic arrangement and contributing to the remarkably high rate of spousal homicide by African-American women in early twentieth-century New Orleans., At 8:45 p.m., on Thursday, January 13, 1938, Bessie Walker fatally stabbed Rogers Matthews, her common-law husband. The seven-year union between the thirty-five-year-old Walker and the forty-six-year-old Matthews, both of [...]

This article examines the cross-sectional association between acculturation, acculturation stress, drinking, and intimate partner violence (IPV) among Hispanic couples in the U.S. The data being analyzed come from a multi-cluster random household sample of couples interviewed as part of the second wave of a 5-year national longitudinal study. The overall survey response rate for the second wave is 72%. Participants are Hispanic couples 18 years of age or older (N = 387). Results show that, among men, lower acculturation is positively associated with higher acculturation stress, which is directly related to a greater likelihood of involvement in IPV. These associations are also present among women. However, data for women show an additional path linking higher levels of acculturation directly to IPV. Drinking is not associated with IPV, independent of gender. Acculturation, directly or through acculturation stress, increases the likelihood of IPV. Keywords: acculturation; intimate partner violence; Hispanics; acculturation stress

This study examined perceptions of motives in the perpetration of intimate partner violence. Respondents (N = 401) of diverse professions read three vignettes and indicated their perception of the aggressor's motive (from 1 = Exclusively Expressive; 5 = Exclusively Coercive). Half of respondents read vignettes describing male-perpetrated violence against a female partner; the other half, female-perpetrated violence against a male partner. Overall, male-perpetrated aggression was seen as more coercive than female-perpetrated aggression, particularly by shelter workers and victim advocates. Further analyses revealed that men generally gave higher ratings than women, and that women rated female-perpetrated aggression as less coercive than male-perpetrated aggression. In contrast, men did not differ in their ratings of male versus female perpetration. Implications are discussed with respect to the assessment and treatment of partner violence. Keywords: coercive violence; control; expressive violence; intimate partner violence; motives; patriarchal paradigm; research bias; self-defense

The role of the control motive in marital violence is examined using data on current and former marriages from the Survey of Violence and Threats of Violence Against Women and Men. The findings indicate no support for the position that husbands engage in more marital violence than wives because they are more controlling. In former marriages, we observe statistical interactions between gender and control: former husbands who were controlling or jealous were particularly likely to be verbally aggressive and to engage in violence. The controlling husbands (present and former), however, are not particularly likely to engage in violence that is frequent, injurious, or unprovoked. The evidence suggests that husband and wives may differ in their methods of control but not their motivation to control. Keywords: marital violence; intimate partner violence; control motive; gender differences

Our goal was to assess whether men in the following three groups differ in their ability to recognize and judge the severity of diverse forms of aggressive behavior: (a) men who reported being physically aggressive toward their spouses and who were entering treatment for domestic violence; (b) men who, after participating in a treatment program, were no longer physically violent; and (c) men who reported never having been physically violent towards their spouses (NPV group--non-physically violent). All 81 men in the study reported being verbally aggressive toward their spouses. Men who had been in treatment for spousal abuse and who had not been physically violent toward their spouses since finishing the program were better able than the other two groups to recognize emotionally abusive behaviors. Keywords: spousal abuse; cognition; EVA; program

This paper explores the magnitude of physical violence by husbands, the disclosure of it and the help-seeking behavior of abused women in urban and rural Bangladesh. The data come from a larger study on domestic violence against women conducted in Bangladesh during 2000-2004. All ever-married women covered by the population-based survey component (n = 2702) conducted in 2001 were included in the current analysis. We also draw on in-depth interviews with 28 women who were physically abused by their husbands. Results show a high prevalence of lifetime physical spousal violence against women: 40% in urban and 42% in rural areas. Most of the abused women (66%) were silent about their experience. The main reasons behind this silence were high acceptance of violence, stigma and fear of greater harm. Sixty percent of urban and 51% of rural abused women never received any help from others. Only 2% ever sought help from institutional sources, from where support was not forthcoming. Women approached these sources only when they could not endure anymore or the violence became life threatening or children were at risk. The findings show that although providing appropriate services is absolutely necessary, it is also important to foster the use of such services and to help women overcome the barriers for accessing these services. Keywords: Domestic violence; Women; Disclosure of violence; Help seeking; Bangladesh

This article presents a study conducted among 148 men from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized to examine their definitions of and beliefs about wife abuse. The definitions provided by the majority of the participants were highly consistent with definitions that are accepted in the professional literature. The majority of participants tended to view wife abuse as unjustified and held violent husbands responsible for their behavior. They were also in favor of helping women who were abused. At the same time, however, some participants showed a tendency to blame women for violence against them and indicated that the reasons why women stay with husbands who are abusive can be attributed more to external factors than to her internal situation. Substantial amounts of the variance in the participants' definitions of and beliefs about wife abuse can be explained by the extent of their patriarchal ideology. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. Keywords: wife abuse; beliefs about wife abuse; ultra-Orthodox community; wife abuse in Judaism; violence against women

The impact of unilateral divorce laws on spousal violence, in the United States, is examined.

This descriptive study seeks to understand what first and second generation Portuguese women believe about wife abuse and what actions they believe are appropriate for an abused wife. Eighty first generation and 54 second generation women participated. The researcher read the questionnaire items aloud in one-on-one meetings. Overall, participants defined wife abuse broadly, did not approve of wife abuse, were most likely to believe that women should seek external help, and did not hold strong patriarchal beliefs. However, a number of generational differences were found. Second generation women were more likely to label an abusive behavior as abuse, and first generation women were more likely to approve of abuse, endorse indirect or traditional options to deal with wife abuse, and hold stronger patriarchal beliefs. The study's implications for research and practice within Portuguese communities are discussed. Keywords: Portuguese; wife abuse; domestic violence; immigrant women

BOOM . . . something hits hard against the wall. I start out of a deep sleep and listen, wondering what woke me. My eyes dart to the only light [...]

Patterns of wife assault, rates of cessation, and the effect of cessation on psychological aggression were evaluated in a three-year longitudinal study of 772 couples. More than one-third of the men who had been violent in the year prior to the initial survey ceased or interrupted their violence and showed significant reductions in their psychological aggression during the course of the study. Implications for the conceptualization and further study of wife assault are discussed.

The high association between alcohol and violence suggests that alcohol instigates violence. The relationship, however, is complex, with disinhibition, disavowal, or interaction interpretations of the alcohol-violence association. Evidence from both the alcohol abuse and the wife assault fields suggests that 'power theory' offers a viable alternative interpretation. Power theory suggests that alcohol abuse and wife assault are manifestations of an underlying need for power and control related to gender-based distortions and insecurities. Alcohol treatment and wife assault programs often conflict in terms of assumptions and approaches. Power theory implies that alcohol abuse and wife assault be treated conjointly as weapons of power assertion and control, and, in the process, treatment effectiveness will be enhanced.

This study examined the prevalence of perpetration of intimate partner violence among 356 men recruited from methadone maintenance treatment programs. We used logistic regression with covariance adjustment to examine the associations between intimate partner violence and illicit drug use by the participants, their female partners, or both. We found a high prevalence of intimate partner violence among the men in our sample. Significant associations between intimate partner violence and illicit drug use varied by types of drugs and whether the female partner or both partners were using drugs.

A study was conducted to examine the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization and behavioral problems among children. Findings suggest the difficult picture of the consequences that exposure to parental violence.