Research Facts on Domestic Violence
Victims of Domestic Violence:
- 8-11% of all
pregnant women are abused by their partner (Newberger, Barkan, Lieberman, et
al, 1992).
- If a victim
does not notify law enforcement, there is a 40% chance that another assault
will occur within 6 mos. (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics).
- 22-35% of women
visiting emergency rooms seek treatment for injuries related to domestic
violence (Flitcraft, Hadley, et al, 1992).
- identified
barriers to seeking help (e.g., fear of exacerbating the violence, strong
emotional and economic bonds with the perpetrator, believing the perpetrator
will change, feeling helpless, and feeling at fault and as a result embarrassed
to reveal abuse) (Brookoff, O'Brien, Cook, Thompson, & Williams, 1997).
- experiencing
violence at the hands of a partner has significant adverse effects on a sense
of personal control for women, and their self-perceptions but not for men
(Umberson, Anderson, Glick, Shapiro, 1998).
- In a review
article of domestic violence around the world, Lenore Walker concluded that
"Although each country has unique factors that determine the services and
resources available to battered women, children exposed to domestic violence,
and abusive partners, it is the interaction among gender, political structure,
religious beliefs, attitudes toward violence in general, and violence toward
women, as well as state-sponsored violence, such as civil conflicts and wars,
and the migration within and between countries that ultimately determine
women's vulnerability and safety (Walker, 1999).
- Women who
experienced abuse as adults suffered more ill-effects to their mental health
than did those who did not experience such abuse; also those who experienced
both adult and child abuse suffered more ill-effects than did women who
experienced abuse either as an adult or as a child (Roberts, Williams,
Lawrence, Joan Raphael, 1998).
- psychological
abuse appears to have as great an impact as physical abuse (O'Leary, 1999).
Outcome of Intervention:
- more severe
sentences (e.g., jail combined with probation vs either probation or jail)
corresponded with lower recidivism likelihood (Thistlewaite, Wooldredge, Gibbs,
1998)
- alcoholism
treatment substantially contributes to reducing the incidence of domestic
violence but does not eliminate it (Maiden, 1997). [ Training in sensitivity to
women and male-female roles and relationships, anger management, communication
and conflict resolution skills are also essential.]
- For both the
1st and 2nd year after Behavior Marital Therapy, violence was significantly
reduced and the extent of violence was associated with the extent of drinking
alcohol. (O'Farrell, Van Hutton, & Murphy, 1999).
- Batterers who
completed domestic violence (DV) group treatment had fewer DV reoffenses at
follow-up, and incarcerated batterers had a greater number, as compared with DV
treatment noncompleters, after controlling for criminal record and demographics
(Babcock & Steiner,1999)
Domestic Violence and Children:
- 50-70% of men
who abuse their spouses or partners also abuse their children (The Governor's
Task force on Domestic Violence, 1994.)
- children were
disproportionately present in households with domestic violence and young
children were disproportionately represented among these children (Fantuzzo,
Boruch, Beriama, & Atkins, 1997).
- A variety of
behavioral, emotional, and cognitive-functioning problems among children were
found to be associated with their witnessing domestic violence (Edleson,
1999).
- A child's
participation in and completion of DV services was closely associated with
whether the child was living with his/her mother and the level of services
provided to the mother and father (Peled & Edleson, 1998).
- A child's
witnessing DV status was found to be a significant predictor of PTSD
(Kilpatrick & Williams, 1997).
Professionals:
- The therapists
surveyed did not attend to the seriousness of the violence if they attended to
the violence at all. The majority of interventions failed to address the crisis
and the need for protection of the wife (Hansen, M., Harway, M, &
Cervantes, N. ( 1991 ). Therapists' perceptions of severity in cases of family
violence. Violence & Victims. 1991 Fal Vol 6(3) 225-235 .) N=362
- there is greater awareness among professionals of the interrelationship between domestic violence and child abuse (Wilson, 1998).