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Distribution of and Factors Associated With Intimate Terrorism and Situational Couple Violence Among a Population-Based Sample of Urban Women in the United States

NCJ Number
235214
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 21 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 1286-1313
Author(s)
Victoria Frye; Jennifer Manganello; Jacquelyn C. Campbell; Benita Walton-Moss; Susan Wilt
Date Published
October 2006
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This article examines two distinct forms of intimate partner violence exist: intimate terrorism and situational couple violence.
Abstract
It has been proposed that two distinct forms of intimate partner violence exist: intimate terrorism and situational couple violence. This article describes the distribution of factors that characterize intimate terrorism and situational couple violence, including controlling behaviors, violence escalation, and injury, among a representative sample of 331 physically assaulted women living in 11 North American cities. In addition, respondent, partner, and relationship characteristics associated with each form of violence are identified. Most women who experienced physical assault also experienced controlling behavior by their male partner. In multivariate analyses, respondent's young age, violence escalation in the relationship, partner's access to guns, previous arrests for domestic violence offenses, poor mental health, and previous suicide attempts or threats were associated with intimate terrorism, defined as experiencing one or more controlling behaviors. These results suggest that situational couple violence is rare and that moderate and high levels of controlling behaviors are associated primarily with partner factors. (Published Abstract)