NCJ Number
162756
Date Published
1996
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Feminist practice, research, and theory demonstrate the extent and importance of men's violence to known women, and the fact that women are most at risk of violence from men with whom they have a heterosexual relationship is a matter of great personal, political, policy, and theoretical concern.
Abstract
Recent research on men has developed from several directions, and the focus on men's power and domination is seen as a central problem. Additionally, the focus on men has been stimulated by various policy and practical developments associated with male violence. These developments include redefinitions of police policies toward male violence inflicted on women and children in the home, specific work with rapists and sex offenders, and the growth of group counseling and self-help programs for violent men. Research has been conducted to explore women's experiences with violence, and many studies demonstrate that issues of power and politics are significant. Historical developments in men's construction of violence against known women are reviewed. Male perceptions of what is meant by violence against known women are examined, along with diverse theoretical constructions that attempt to explain why men treat women violently. Implications of research on violent men for social theory are discussed. 56 references and 1 note