NCJ Number
217175
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: January-Febraury 2007 Pages: 108-115
Date Published
January 2007
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the literature on women as perpetrators of violence in intimate relationships and treatment intervention programs for these women.
Abstract
Female perpetrated abuse in intimate relationships is at least as common as male abuse. Contrary to early socio-political explanations, which proposed that women’s use of aggression reflected primarily, or solely, self-defense strategies in response to male initiated abuse, women are known to commit unilateral abuse. This suggests that many couples in treatment for partner abuse and perhaps slightly fewer who come into contact with the criminal justice system require services that address the perpetration and victimization needs of both partners. Female domestic violence offenders share many of the same characteristics as male offenders, including similar motives and psycho-social characteristics. This improved understanding of the etiology of women’s aggression has begun to shape interventions for domestically violent women. More treatment evaluation research is needed in order to reconceptualize partner abuse treatment for use with female abusers. However, when evaluating male and female abusers, professionals should consider risk factors common to general violence, as well as possible intervention needs of both partners. Although the prevalence and consequences of male violence directed towards women in intimate relationships has been well established, the research on violent women in intimate relationships is far less developed. References