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Distinguishing Among Types of Domestic Violence

Distinguishing Among Types of Domestic Violence. Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D. Sociology, Women's Studies, and African and African American Studies Penn State. Second International Conference on Violence Against Women CRI-VIFF Montréal, Québec May 30, 2011.

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Distinguishing Among Types of Domestic Violence

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  1. Distinguishing Among Types of Domestic Violence Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D. Sociology, Women's Studies, and African and African American Studies Penn State Second International Conference on Violence Against Women CRI-VIFF Montréal, Québec May 30, 2011 Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991 McKeesport, PA

  2. Are Women Really as Violent as Men? • Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data • Explaining the ostensible contradictions • A Control-based Typology of Partner Violence • The three major types • Gender differences and sampling biases • Dramatic Differences Among the Types • Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation • A few health and relationship consequences • Different risk factors for perpetration • Policy Implications

  3. The Anti-feminist BacklashDeny the Role of GenderAttack Feminist ResearchAttack Programs that Address Violence against Women • “Men as likely to suffer spousal abuse, Statscan says.” Globe and Mail July 27, 2002 (Web site) • “Feminist ideologues ignore research that shows domestic violence is just as often started by women as by men.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette July 26, 2009 • “…the Ontario Government may be in violation of their obligations… [because] the existing network of shelters for victims of family violence exclude[s] men….” The Men’s Project, February 2009: Submission to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General

  4. General Surveys Indicate That Women Are as Violent as Men

  5. But Agency Studies Indicate ThatMen Are the Batterers

  6. Differentiating Among Types of Intimate Partner ViolenceExplains the Contradictions • There is more than one type of partner violence • One type is perpetrated mostly by men, another by both men and women • Agency studies are dominated by the male-perpetrated type, general surveys by the gender-symmetric type

  7. Are Women Really as Violent as Men? Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data Explaining the ostensible contradictions A Control-based Typology of Partner Violence The three major types Gender differences and sampling biases Dramatic Differences Among the Types Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation A few health and relationship consequences Different risk factors for perpetration Policy Implications

  8. Intimate Terrorism Violent Coercive Control Violent Resistance Resisting the Intimate Terrorist Situational Couple Violence Situationally-provoked Violence

  9. Intimate Terrorism/Domestic Violence Adapted from Pence & Paymar, 1993.

  10. Intimate Terrorism Violent Coercive Control • Pattern of violent coercive control • The basic pattern is the use of multiple control tactics (violent and non-violent) to attempt to take general control over one’s partner • Specific control tactics vary from case to case, involving different combinations of economic control, isolation, emotional abuse, intimidation, use of children, and other control tactics • In heterosexual relationships, perpetrated primarily but not exclusively by men • Generally rare, but common in agency settings

  11. Violent Resistance Resisting the Intimate Terrorist • Many victims respond with violence • Not necessarily self-defense • In heterosexual relationships, most violent resistors desist and turn to other tactics to mitigate the violence or to escape

  12. Situational Couple Violence Situationally-provoked Violence • Conflicts turn into arguments that escalate • Both men and women do this • Men’s violence more likely to injure and frighten • Huge variability in patterns and causes • 40% only one incident, but can involve chronic and/or severe violence • Variable causes of chronic SCV include chronic conflict, substance abuse, anger issues, communication issues, and others • By far the most common type

  13. Gender Symmetry/Asymmetryby Type of Violence(1970s Pittsburgh: Violent husbands and wives)

  14. The Biases of Major Sampling Plans(1970s Pittsburgh: Violent men)

  15. Are Women Really as Violent as Men? Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data Explaining the ostensible contradictions A Control-based Typology of Partner Violence The three major types Gender differences and sampling biases Dramatic Differences Among the Types Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation A few health and relationship consequences Different risk factors for perpetration Policy Implications

  16. Johnson, 2006 Mixed sample, married Pittsburgh, 1970s Intimate Terrorism 76% severe 75% escalated 1/25 couples 29% mutual General Motive: To control the relationship Situational Couple Violence 28% severe 28% escalated 1/8 couples 69% mutual Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc .

  17. Ansara & Hindin, 2010 Previous/current partners Canadian GSS 2004 Intimate Terrorism 57% frequent violence 60% feared for life General Motive: To control the relationship Situational Couple Violence 8% frequent violence 9% feared for life Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc

  18. Health and Relationship Outcomes by Type of Male Violence

  19. Different Risk FactorsStudies by Various Social ScientistsDifferent Locations and Sample TypesDifferent Measures • Intergenerational “transmission” • SCV d = .11 IT d = .35 • Marriage • SCV b = -.62 IT b = .58 • Gender traditionalism • SCV d = -.14 IT d = .80

  20. Are Women Really as Violent as Men? Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data Explaining the ostensible contradictions A Control-based Typology of Partner Violence The three major types Gender differences and sampling biases Dramatic Differences Among the Types Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation A few health and relationship consequences Different risk factors for perpetration Policy Implications

  21. Different Intervention Effects Outcomes of Duluth-type Batterer Intervention Program (Thirteen Months Post-adjudication) Eckhardt et al., 2008

  22. Screening/Triage • Different models for different clients • To screen we need to assess coercive control and violence for both partners • Safety first! • Initially assume the worst (intimate terrorism) • If SCV seems likely, try individual application of other approaches • If you are confidant that you are dealing with SCV, and safety has been demonstrated over time, you can move to couple approaches with protections in place

  23. Primary Prevention/Education • Intimate terrorism • Equality and respect • Violent resistance • Danger signs • Safety planning • Entrapment/escape issues • Situational couple violence • Sources of conflict • Anger management tactics • Communication • Substance abuse

  24. Intervention with PerpetratorsHold them all accountable in the criminal justice systemto provide an essential motivation for change • Intimate terrorism • Control-focused education • Violent resistance • Alternatives to violence/Safety planning • Neutralize entrapment • Situational couple violence • Sources of conflict • Anger management • Communication counseling • Substance abuse rehab

  25. Intervention for Survivors • Intimate terrorism • Long-term support • Alternatives to violent resistance • Empowerment to leave • Transitional support • Situational couple violence • Sources of conflict • Anger management • Communication counseling • Substance abuse rehab

  26. Custody and Access Issues • Manipulative accusations • Resources for thorough evaluation • Custody/access options • Joint custody/Co-parenting • Parallel parenting, minimal couple contact • Supervised exchanges • Supervised access • No contact

  27. Two Big Takeaway Points • General samples provide useful information about situational couple violence • Situational couple violence is the most common type of intimate partner violence • It is gender symmetric in terms of perpetration, not in terms of impact • It is incredibly variable, with many different causes • Agency samples provide useful information about intimate terrorism and violent resistance • Intimate terrorism is primarily male-perpetrated; gender inequality is central • Violent resistors are primarily female; we still know little about causes, other than the partner’s behavior

  28. We make big mistakes if we don’t make big distinctions. Different types of partner violence have… • Different causes • Different developmental trajectories • Different effects • Different implications for policy and practice

  29. Support Your Local Women’s Shelter Safety Support Information Advocacy Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991 Philadelphia, PA shelter

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