Domestic Violence Chapter 6

Defining Domestic Violence “Threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or are family members, regardless of gender or sexuality” “Threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or are family members, regardless of gender or sexuality”

Domestic Violence OLD OLD Umbrella term: Spousal violence; intimate partner violence; domestic abuse; wife abuse; spouse battering; family violence Umbrella term: Spousal violence; intimate partner violence; domestic abuse; wife abuse; spouse battering; family violence Abuse can include: Abuse can include:  Physical  Sexual  Emotional  Financial, economic

Family Violence Nature of domestic violence Nature of domestic violence  Adolescent-to-parent; parent to child  Sibling-to-sibling  Spouse-to-spouse Prevalence Prevalence  Depends on definition & measurement: Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS)  Victimization survey findings

The Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) Most commonly used scale to measure domestic violence (1979) Most commonly used scale to measure domestic violence (1979) 1 st reliable & valid scale for measuring family violence (verbal aggression & physical violence on a continuum) 1 st reliable & valid scale for measuring family violence (verbal aggression & physical violence on a continuum)  Females engage in minor physical violence  Males engage in more serious physical violence Criticisms - Incidence rates sometimes generalized from small & unrepresentative samples Criticisms - Incidence rates sometimes generalized from small & unrepresentative samples

Extent of Family Violence A pressing social issue A pressing social issue  1993 telephone survey of 12,300 Canadian women indicated 29% had been subjected to violence (Stats Can 1988)  More than 14,000 women & children admitted to women’s shelters in BC between April 1, 1999 and March 31, 2000 (Stats Can, 2001)  (2002) est. 55,000 women & 45,000 children (under 10) admitted to shelters; 12% returned to spouse

Statistics Canada Violence Against Women Survey (1999) Used modified CTS to measure physical, psychological, and sexual violence in intimate relationships Used modified CTS to measure physical, psychological, and sexual violence in intimate relationships  Both men and women experience violence  Women experience more severe forms  Violence against women more likely reported to police

Types of Relationship Violence Experienced (Statistics Canada, 2006a)

Domestic Violence 2006 police-reported data: 2006 police-reported data: o 38,000 incidents/ 15% violent incidents o 83% of victims female; 17% male o Common assault most frequently reported o Charges laid by police in ¾ of all police- reported incidents

Criminal Justice Response Reasons for not reporting?? Reasons for not reporting?? Mandatory charging policies give police authority to lay charges against an assault suspect Mandatory charging policies give police authority to lay charges against an assault suspect

What characterizes an Abuser? Heterogeneous group Heterogeneous group Generally violent men (assaultive both inside & outside the home) Generally violent men (assaultive both inside & outside the home) Widely accepted that power needs drives much offending Widely accepted that power needs drives much offending Classifications from text Classifications from text  Subtypes of batterers

Risk Factors & Domestic Violence Psychological characteristics Psychological characteristics  More angry (overcontrolled?)  Emotional dependence (Jekyll & Hyde type?)  Insecure  Low self-esteem  APD, narcissism  Anxiety, depression, mood disorders, PTSD

Theoretical Perspectives One’s perspective influences answers One’s perspective influences answers  Issue: perpetrator’s misuse of power, control & authority  Complexity of studying

Theoretical Perspectives Biological theories: Biological theories:  Biological influences may predispose  Genes may predispose but do not determine behaviour  Neuropathology, head injury, hormones, neurotransmitters

Theoretical Perspectives Psychological theories: Psychological theories:  Why some do and others don’t  Factors in the individual that lead to an inclination to commit a violent crime  Social learning, psychopathology, impulse- control problems, low self-esteem, attitudes, personality, attachment…………………….  Zimbardo, Milgram studies

Theoretical Perspectives Social learning theory Social learning theory  Aggression is acquired  Past learning experiences  Observing or experiencing aggression  Own aggression refined through reinforcement  Importance of models  Family members, subculture, mass media  Cognitive factors especially important  Cognitive scripts  Attributions

Theoretical Perspectives  Feminist theory  Gendered nature of both deviance & control  Patriarchal society ( broad set of cultural beliefs and values that support male dominance of woman)  Sociological theories: Systems theory  Family interaction patterns Interpersonal conflict violence (pushing, shoving) Non-systematic abuse (kicking, hitting, throwing objects) Systematic abuse (beating, choking, knives, guns)  Roles, relationships, & feedback mechanisms  Social stress & disorganization (conflictual families)

Theoretical Explanations of Family Violence Theories underdeveloped Theories underdeveloped Reciprocal interactionism of family dynamics critical Reciprocal interactionism of family dynamics critical Cessation of family violence Cessation of family violence  Official response & community support important  Male-dominating tradition often seen at root of family violence  Efforts to change abuser’s attitudinal system

Etiology (causes) Violence doesn’t necessarily beget violence Violence doesn’t necessarily beget violence Adult offenders often claim abuse as children Adult offenders often claim abuse as children  No strong documentation Cuts across socioeconomic, religious, racial, ethnic lines Cuts across socioeconomic, religious, racial, ethnic lines

Etiology continued Alcohol and other drugs Alcohol and other drugs alcohol & drug use exacerbator; not cause Male’s perceived loss of power Male’s perceived loss of power Is family violence different from general violence? Is family violence different from general violence? Need to understand interactional dynamics Need to understand interactional dynamics

Risk Factors and Domestic Violence Correlational only Correlational only  Wife working & husband not working  Violence in family of origin  Fear of abandonment  Youth  Lower SES  Unemployment  Prior arrest for violent crime  Substance abuse

Risk Assessment Instruments Instruments  SARA  Designed to assess risk of re-offending in CJS

Interventions Projects, programs, policies & practices Projects, programs, policies & practices Safe houses for victims Safe houses for victims Police practices Police practices CBT CBT

Predictors of Partner Violence Interactional; arise from relationship processes such as:  Marital conflict  Customary modes of expressing aggression  Stresses induced by work

Wife-to-Husband Violence More common than you think Different reasons for violence against spouses Battered women who kill are more likely to believe lives in danger

Psychological Effects of Domestic Violence on Children Risk factors must be considered Risk factors must be considered  Age, nature of violence Overall, more behavioural and emotional problems (aggression) Overall, more behavioural and emotional problems (aggression) Both externalized and internalized behaviours Both externalized and internalized behaviours Numerous research studies demonstrating negative effects Numerous research studies demonstrating negative effects Affect on children’s own cognitive structures & attitudes is critical Affect on children’s own cognitive structures & attitudes is critical

Effects of Violence on Children Feelings of fear, anger, depression, anxious, grief, shame, despair & distrust, aggression Feelings of fear, anger, depression, anxious, grief, shame, despair & distrust, aggression Sense of powerlessness Sense of powerlessness Physical reactions: stomach cramps, headaches, sleeping/eating disorders; bed-wetting Physical reactions: stomach cramps, headaches, sleeping/eating disorders; bed-wetting Slowed developmental capacities (difficulties in school) Slowed developmental capacities (difficulties in school) Substance abuse Substance abuse Learning that violence is a legitimate means for obtaining control of a situation or for resolving conflict Learning that violence is a legitimate means for obtaining control of a situation or for resolving conflict

Stalking and Domestic Violence Stalking – new form of criminal deviance Stalking – new form of criminal deviance  Common; associated with gendered abuse & violence  1996 – 80% of 4,450 victims women; 88% of stalkers were men  “willful, repeated and malicious following, harassing or threatening of another person”  Mostly, prior intimate relationships Broad range of behaviours Broad range of behaviours  Threats, spying, following, vandalized property, threatening to kill or killed pets

Stalking Behaviour Stalking victimization is reported by 4% of Canadian women and 2% of men Stalking victimization is reported by 4% of Canadian women and 2% of men  (Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2005) Targeted harassment is concerning: Targeted harassment is concerning:  Stalking behaviour is a persistent and threatening form of violence that can severely affect the mental health of victims and those close to them  Estimated that 25 – 30% of stalking involves violence Celebrities Celebrities