Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Intimate Partner Violence Victim and Perpetrator Characteristics Among Couples in the United States

  • Original article
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes the characteristics (sociodemographic, drinking and selected psychological attributes) of victims, perpetrators and those who engage in mutual intimate partner violence (IPV) among couples in the U.S. Subjects constitute a multistage area probability sample representative of married and cohabiting couples from the 48 contiguous United States. Results indicate that age is the only variable that appears to have a consistent effect for men and women and across violence-related statuses: Older individuals are less likely to be victims, perpetrators and less likely to be involved in mutually violent relationships. Other variables such as ethnicity, marital status, drinking, impulsivity, depression and powerlessness are either gender or status-specific in their ability to predict victimization, perpetration or victimization/perpetration. Overall, those involved in violent relationships do not appear to be very different from those not involved in violent relationships. The most likely reason for lack of this difference is the nature of IPV in general population samples, which is in most cases moderate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Antonovsky, A. (1987). Unraveling the mystery of health: How people manage stress and stay well. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1993). The structure and properties of the Sense of Coherence Scale. Social Science and Medicine, 36, 725–733.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, A. (1987). When battered women kill. New York: Macmillan/Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browne, A. (1993). Family violence and homelessness: The relevance of trauma histories in the lives of homeless women. American Journal Orthopsychiatry, 63, 370–384.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bumpass, L., James, S., & Andrew, C. (1991). The role of cohabitation in declining rates of marriage. Demography, 53, 913–927.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., & Cunradi, C. (2003). Intimate partner violence and depression among Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. Annals of Epidemiology, 13, 661–665.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., Cunradi, C., Schafer, J., & Clark, C. (2000). Intimate partner violence and drinking patterns among white, black and Hispanic couples in the U.S. Journal of Substance Abuse, 11, 123–138.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., Field, C. A., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., & McGrath, C. (2005a). The 5-year course of intimate partner violence among White, Black, and Hispanic couples in the United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20, 1038–1057.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., McGrath, C., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., & Field, C. A. (2005b). Drinking, alcohol problems and the five-year recurrence and incidence of male to female and female to male partner violence. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 29, 98–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., & Field, C. A. (2005c). Unidirectional and bidirectional intimate partner violence among White, Black, and Hispanic couples in the United States. Violence and Victims, 20, 393–406.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., Nelson, S., & Cunradi, C. (2001). Intimate partner violence, dependence symptoms and social consequences from drinking among white, black and Hispanic couples in the United States. American Journal of Addiction, 10, 60–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caetano, R., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., & McGrath, C. (2003). Characteristics of non-respondents in a U.S. national longitudinal survey on drinking and intimate partner violence. Addiction, 98, 791–797.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cazenave, N. A., & Straus, M. A. (1995). Race, class network embeddedness, and family violence: A search for potent support systems. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations in violence in 8,145 families (pp. 321–335). New Brunswick: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherpitel, C. J. (1993). Alcohol, injury and risk taking behavior: Data from a national sample. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 17, 762–766.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunradi, C. B., Caetano, R., Clark, C. L., & Schafer, J. (1999). Alcohol-related problems and intimate partner violence among white, black and Hispanic couples in the U.S. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 23, 1492–1501.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunradi, C. B., Caetano, R., Clark, C. L., & Schafer, J. (2000). Neighborhood poverty as a predictor of intimate partner violence among White, Black, and Hispanic couples in the United States: A multilevel analysis. Annuals of Epidemiology, 10, 297–308.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunradi, C. B., Caetano, R., & Schafer, J. (2002). Alcohol-related problems, drug use, and male intimate partner violence severity among US couples. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 26, 493–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeMaris, A. (2000). Till discord do us part: The role of physical and verbal conflict in union disruption. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 683–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeMaris, A. (2001). The influence of intimate violence on transitions out of cohabitation. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63, 235–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desai, S., Arias, I., Thompson, M. P., & Basile, K. C. (2002). Childhood victimization and subsequent adult revictimization assessed in a nationally representative sample of women and men. Violence and Victims, 17, 639–653.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dobash, R. E., & Dobash, R. P. (1980). Violence against wives: A case against the patriarchy. New York: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, D. S., Huizinga, D., & Morse, B. J. (1985). The dynamics of delinquent behavior: A national survey progress report. Boulder: Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysenck, S. B., & Eysenck, H. J. (1977). The place of impulsiveness in a dimensional system of personality description. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 16, 57–68.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gelles, R. J. (1972). The violent home: A study of physical aggression between husbands and wives. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelles, R. J., & Harrop, J. W. (1989). Violence, battering, and psychological distress among women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 4, 400–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gondolf, E. W. (1995). Alcohol abuse, wife assault, and power needs. Social Service Review, 69, 274–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, L. A., Koss, M. P., & Russo, N. F. (1993). Violence against women: Physical and mental health effects. Part I: Research findings. Applied & Preventive Psychology, 2, 79–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grisso, J. A., Schwarz, D. F., Miles, C. G., & Holmes, J. H. (1996). Injuries among inner-city minority women: A population-based longitudinal study. American Journal of Public Health, 86, 67–70.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grisso, J. A., Wishner, A. R., Schwarz, D. F., Weene, B. A., Holmes, J. H., & Sutton, R. L. (1991). A population-based study of injuries in inner-city women. American Journal of Epidemiology, 134, 59–68.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamberger, L. K., & Hastings, J. E. (1991). Personality correlates of men who batter and nonviolent men: Some continuities and discontinuities. Journal of Family Violence, 6, 131–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilberman, E. (1980). Overview: The “Wife-Beater’s Wife” reconsidered. American Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 1336–1346.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hilberman, E., & Munson, K. (1977). Sixty battered women. Victimolgoy: An International Journal, 2, 460–470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosmer, D. W., & Lemeshow, S. (1989). Applied logistic regression. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hotaling, G. T., & Sugarman, D. B. (1986). An analysis of risk markers in husband to wife violence: The current state of knowledge. Violence and Victims, 1, 101–124.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, D. N. (1974). Jackson personality inventory manual. Goshen, NY: Psychologists.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jasinski, J. L. (2001). Physical violence among Anglo, African American, and Hispanic couples: Ethnic differences in persistence and cessation. Violence and Victims, 16, 479–490.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kellerman, A. L., & Mercy, J. A. (1992). Men, women and murder: Gender-specific differences in rates of fatal violence and victimization. Journal of Trauma, 33, 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leonard, K. E., & Quigley, B. M. (1999). Drinking and marital aggression in newlyweds: An event-based analysis of drinking and the occurrence of husband marital aggression. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 60, 537–545.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lipsky, S., Caetano, R., Field, C. A., & Bazargan, S. (2005a). The role of alcohol use and depression in intimate partner violence among black and Hispanic patients in an urban emergency department. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 31, 225–242.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lipsky, S., Field, C. A., Caetano, R., & Larkin, G. L. (2005b). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology and comorbid depressive symptoms among abused women referred from emergency department care. Violence and Victims, 20, 645–659.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, B., Downs, W. R., & Gondoli, D. M. (1989). Spousal violence among alcoholic women as compared to a random household sample of women. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 50, 533–539.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. L., & Wellford, C. F. (1997). Patterns and correlates of interpersonal violence. In A. P. Cardarelli (Ed.) Violence between intimate partners: Patterns, causes, and effects (pp. 16–28). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, C., O’Farrell, T. J., Falls-Stewart, W., & Freehan, M. (2001). Correlates of intimate partner violence among male alcoholic patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 528–540.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, K. D. (1993). Through a psychological lens: Personality traits, personality disorders and levels of violence. In R. J. Gelles, & D. R. Loseke (Eds.) Current controversies on family violence (pp. 7–30). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plichta, S. B. (1996). Violence and abuse: Implications for women’s health. In M. F. Falik, & K. S. Collins (Eds.) Women’s health: The commonwealth fund survey. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plutchik, R., & Van Praag, H. M. (1997). Suicide, impulsivity and antisocial behavior. In D. M. Stoff, & J. D. Maser (Eds.) Handbook of antisocial behavior (pp. 101–108). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1977). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D): A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramisetty-Mikler, S., & Caetano, R. (2005). Alcohol use and intimate partner violence as predictors of separation among U.S. couples: A longitudinal model. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 66, 205–212.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Research Triangle Institute (2005). Software for survey data analysis (SUDAAN), Release 9.0.1. Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rounsaville, B., & Weissman, M. M. (1977). Battered women: A medical problem requiring detection. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 8, 191–202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schafer, J., Caetano, R., & Clark, C. (1998). Rates of intimate partner violence in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 1702–1704.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schoen, R. (1992). First unions and the stability of first marriages. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 281–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stark, E., & Flitcraft, A. (1988). Violence among intimates: An epidemiological review. In V. B. Van Hasselt, & R. L. Morrison (Eds.) Handbook of family violence (pp. 293–317). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stets, J. E., & Straus, M. A. (1995). Gender differences in reporting of marital violence and its medical and psychological consequences. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations in violence in 8,145 families (pp. 151–165). New Brunswick: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1990). Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families (pp. 29–47). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1995). The Conflict Tactics Scales and its critics: An evaluation and new data on validity and reliability. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations in violence in 8,145 families (pp. 49–73). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (1995). How violent are American families? Estimates from the National Family Violence Resurvey and other studies. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations in violence in 8,145 families (pp. 95–112). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., Gelles, R. J., & Steinmetz, S. K. (1980). Behind closed doors: Violence in the American family. New York: Doubleday/Anchor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Kantor, G. K. (1994). Change in spouse assault rates from 1975 to 1992: A comparison of three national surveys in the United States. Paper presented at: 13th World Congress of Sociology, Bielefeld, Germany.

  • Straus, M. A., & Smith, C. (1995). Violence in Hispanic families in the United States: Incidence rates and structural interpretations. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families (pp. 341–367). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suitor, J. J., Pillemer, K., & Straus, M. A. (1995). Marital violence in a life course perspective. In M. A. Straus, & R. J. Gelles (Eds.) Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations in violence in 8,145 families (pp. 305–317). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szinovacz, M. E., & Egley, L. (1995). Comparing one-partner and couple data on sensitive marital behaviors: The case of marital violence. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 995–1010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Testa, M., Livingston, J. A., Vanzile-Tamsen, C., & Frone, M. R. (2003). The role of women’s substance use in vulnerability to forcible and incapacitated rape. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 64, 756–764.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Full report of the prevalence, incidence, and consequences of violence against women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Research report, National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington, D.C.

  • Thomson, E., & Colella, U. (1992). Cohabitation and marital stability: Quality or commitment? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 259–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, M. P., Kingree, J. B., Sitterle, D. J., & Clay, G. (2005). Effects of alcohol use on disclosure of sexual victimization. Poster presented at the 28th annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Santa Barbara, CA.

  • Umberson, D., Anderson, K., Glick, J., & Shapiro, A. (1998). Domestic violence, personal control, and gender. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 442–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster, C. D., & Jackson, M. A. (Eds.). (1997). Impulsivity: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Guiford.

  • White, H. R., & Chen, P. H. (2002). Problem drinking and intimate partner violence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 205–214.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dallas Regional Campus, University of Texas Houston School of Public Health, 6011 Harry Hines Blvd. Room V8.112, Dallas, TX, 75390-9128, USA

    Raul Caetano, Patrice A. C. Vaeth & Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler

Authors
  1. Raul Caetano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Patrice A. C. Vaeth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raul Caetano.

Additional information

Work on this paper was supported by a grant (R37-AA10908) from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to the University of Texas School of Public Health.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Caetano, R., Vaeth, P.A.C. & Ramisetty-Mikler, S. Intimate Partner Violence Victim and Perpetrator Characteristics Among Couples in the United States. J Fam Viol 23, 507–518 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-008-9178-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-008-9178-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation