1. Types of Domestic Violence Research Evidence
Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D.
Sociology, Women's Studies, and
African & African American Studies
Penn State
Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991
Barnet & Rusen
Sandefjord, Norway
September 26, 2012
McKeesport, PA
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

2. Are Women Really as Violent as Men?
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 (plus one or two)
Gender differences and sampling biases
Dramatic Differences Among the Types
Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
Health and relationship consequences
Miscellaneous other major differences
Barnet & Rusen
Risk of child abuse
The role of alcohol in the violence

3.
The Anti-feminist Backlash Attack Feminist Research Deny the Role of Gender Attack Programs that Address Violence against Women
“The gender paradigm. . . biased social science.” Dutton et al., 2010
“Men as likely to suffer spousal abuse, Statscan says.” Globe and Mail July 27, 2002 (Web site)
“…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
General Surveys Indicate That Women Are as Violent as Men
Heterosexual intimate partner violence
by gender
Data Source
Men
Women
Canada, GSS, 2004
54%
46%
Norway, Statistics Norway, 2003
55%
45%
Sweden, university students, c. 2001
52%
48%
U.S., NSFH, 1988
53%
47%
U.S., NFVS, 1975—the beginning
51%
49%
Different decades
Different purposes—family violence, family demography
Different ages and types of relationships
Different countries
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

5. But Agency Studies Indicate That Men Are the Primary Batterers
But Agency Studies Indicate That Men Are the Primary Batterers
Heterosexual intimate partner violence by gender
Data Source
Men
Women
Sweden, partner assault, 2010
80%
20%
Norway, ill-treatment, 2009
77%
23%
Canada, spousal homicide,
82%
18%
U.S., FBI, partner assault,
75%
25%
U.K., emergency rooms, 1988
83%
17%
Ontario, family court, 1982
94% 6%
Different decades
Different agencies
Different countries
Assaults and homicides
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

6.
Differentiating Among Types of Intimate Partner Violence Reconciles the Contradiction
There is more than one type of partner violence
The different types are differently gendered
Both major sampling plans are biased
General survey studies are biased toward situationally-provoked violence, which is perpetrated about equally by men and women.
Agency studies are biased toward coercive controlling violence, which is perpetrated almost entirely by men.

7. Are Women Really as Violent as Men?
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 (plus one or two)
Gender differences and sampling biases
Dramatic Differences Among the Types
Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
Health and relationship consequences
Miscellaneous other major differences
Barnet & Rusen
Risk of child abuse
The role of alcohol in the violence

8. Situational Couple Violence
Intimate Terrorism
Violent Coercive Control
Violent Resistance
Resisting the Intimate Terrorist
Situational Couple Violence
Situationally-provoked Violence
General control, not incident focused, but relationship focused.
Coercive, not persuasion, not reward, but punishment focused
Separation-instigated Violence
No Prior History of Violence or Control
Mutual Violent Control
Two Intimate Terrorists
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

9. Intimate Terrorism/Domestic Violence
Intimate Terrorism/Domestic Violence
Theory of coercive control (Dutton and Goodman)
Threats, intimidation
Attack the will to resist
Deny resources needed to resist
Monitoring
Use violence when necessary
Adapted from Pence & Paymar, 1993.
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

10. Coercive Control Scale
Coercive Control Scale
Thinking about your husband [yourself], would you say he [you]…
is jealous or possessive?
tries to provoke arguments?
tries to limit your contact with family and friends?
insists on knowing who you are with at all times?
calls you names or puts you down in front of others?
makes you feel inadequate?
shouts or swears at you?
frightens you?
prevents you from knowing about or having access to the family income even when you ask?
*These are items from the 1995 National Violence Against Women Survey (Tjaden & Thoennes, 1998). They were adapted from the Canadian Violence Against Women Survey (Holly Johnson, 1996).
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

11. Violent Coercive Control
Intimate Terrorism
Violent Coercive Control
Pattern of violent coercive control
Attempt to exert general control
One basic pattern with variations
Specific control tactics vary from case to case, e.g., economic control, isolation, emotional abuse, intimidation, use of children
In heterosexual relationships, primarily but not exclusively men
Two major subtypes identified for men: Emotionally dependent; Antisocial
Refuse survey research

12. Resisting the Intimate Terrorist
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, either to mitigate the violence or to escape
Refuse survey research

13. Situational Couple Violence
Situationally-provoked Violence
Conflicts turn to arguments that escalate
Both men and women do this
Men’s violence more likely to injure and frighten
Huge variability
40% only one incident, but can involve chronic and severe violence
Variable causes of chronic SCV include chronic conflict, substance abuse, anger issues, communication issues, and others
Participate in survey research

14. Situational couple violence
Gender Symmetry/Asymmetry by Type of Violence (1970s Pittsburgh: Violent husbands and wives)
Husbands
Wives N
Intimate terrorism
97% 3% 97
Violent resistance 4%
96% 77
Situational couple violence
56%
44%
146
2000s Britain: IT 87% male; VR 10% male; SCV 45% male
Cluster analysis, 1999 NCFR paper
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

15. The Biases of Major Sampling Plans (Violent men: Pittsburgh)
The Biases of Major Sampling Plans (Violent men: Pittsburgh)
General
Sample
(n = 37)
Court Sample
(n = 34)
Shelter
(n = 50)
Intimate terrorism
14%
68%
78%
Violent resistance 0% 2%
Situational couple violence
86%
29%
18%
2000s Britain: IT by sample type: General = 13%, Shelter = 88%.
Frieze’s Pittsburgh data
1999 Cluster data recomputed to separate court and shelter
Graham-Kevan & Archer 2003 cluster calculated from Table 8
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

16. Are Women Really as Violent as Men?
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 (plus one or two)
Gender differences and sampling biases
Dramatic Differences Among the Types
Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
Health and relationship consequences
Miscellaneous other major differences
Barnet & Rusen
Risk of child abuse
The role of alcohol in the violence

17. Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc .
Pittsburgh data
Mixed sample
Intimate Terrorism
76% severe
75% escalated
1/25 couples
29% mutual
General Motive: To control the relationship
Situational Couple Violence
28% severe
Point out that these findings confirm comparisons of survey and agency results generally.
Comment on imprecision of numbers, robustness of patterns.
But also variable, note percent non-typical cases
All of this is based on the cluster analysis, not a cutoff. NCFR paper, 1999.
Severe = severe no trauma, severe some trauma, permanent injury.
Mutual means that the husband’s frequency was less than the wife’s frequency plus five.
28% escalated
1/8 couples
69% mutual
Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc .
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

18. Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc
British data
Mixed sample
Intimate Terrorism
43% severe
78% escalated
15% mutual
General Motive: To control the relationship
Situational Couple Violence
13% severe
Graham-Kevan & Archer, 2003.
All of this is based on a cluster analysis, not a cutoff. It includes both men and women.
Severe = requires medical attention.
Mutual means that the husband’s frequency was less than the wife’s frequency plus five.
20% escalated
87% mutual
Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

19. Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc
Canadian GSS 2004
Previous/current partner
Intimate Terrorism
57% frequent violence
60% feared for life
General Motive: To control the relationship
Situational Couple Violence
Ansara, D. L., & Hindin, M. J. 2010). Exploring gender differences in the patterns of intimate partner violence in Canada: A latent class approach. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 64,
Latent class analysis: IT combines two classes (physical aggression plus control plus verbal abuse, severe violence plus control plus verbal abuse); SCV is physical aggression only
Frequent = more than 5 incidents
8% frequent violence
9% feared for life
Situational Motive: To win, get attention, get even, etc
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

20.
Health & Relationship Outcomes by Type of Male Violence (various studies)
SCV IT
Injury, latest incident
U.S., NVAW
25%
49%
p<.001
Severe injury, ever
Pittsburgh
28%
76%
Post-traumatic stress*
37%
79%
Suicidal behavior
Chicago, CWHRS
18%
Low marital happiness
13%
50%
Left more than once
26%
74%
* Percent above the median for female victims of partner violence
The combination of coercive control and violence produces particularly negative outcomes.
We’ve even shown the effects controlling for level of violence.
Pittsburgh injury data are for worst incident
GSS data are for previous partner
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

21.
Miscellaneous Major Differences Studies by Various Social Scientists Different Locations and Sample Types Different Measures
SCV IT
Intergenerational “transmission”
d = d = +.35
Marriage
b = b = +.58
Gender traditionalism
d = d = +.80
Hostility toward women
mean = mean = 79
Stith et al.
Johnson & Cares; Johnson, 2008
Macmillan & Gartner
Sugarman
Holtzworth-Munroe
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

22. Are Women Really as Violent as Men?
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 (plus one or two)
Gender differences and sampling biases
Dramatic Differences Among the Types
Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
Health and relationship consequences
Miscellaneous other major differences
Barnet & Rusen
Risk of child abuse
The role of alcohol in the violence

23. Risk of Child Abuse Different Dynamics for Different Types
Intimate Terrorism—control
Manipulation or punishment of partner
Control of children
Situational Couple Violence—conflict escalation
Substance abuse
Source of conflict
Dynamics of escalation
Anger management
Couple communication

24. Risk of Child Abuse* Preliminary Evidence
Risk of Child Abuse* Preliminary Evidence
Sample Type
Male Partner
Child Abuse
Giles-Sims, 1985
Shelter = “IT”
63%
Mahoney et al., 2003
50%
O’Keefe, 1995
44%
McCloskey, 2001
42%
Jouriles et al., 2000
27%
Slep & O’Leary, 2005
Community = “SCV”
11%
*Adapted from Jouriles et al., 2008
Might want to use the “left more than once” data to comment on the problem of making these distinctions in a general sample such as the NVAW
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

25. The Role of Alcohol in the Violence Different Dynamics for Different Types
Intimate Terrorism—control
No effect on incidence
Increased severity
Situational Couple Violence—conflict escalation
Source of conflict
Dynamics of escalation

26. The Role of Alcohol in the Violence Preliminary Evidence
Fals-Stewart and colleagues—multiple studies
Daily log data establish alcohol as a cause
BCT enhances success on days of drinking
BCT ineffective for antisocial personality
Hines—male victims’ drinking affected situational couple violence, but not intimate terrorism

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

28. Support Your Local Women’s Shelter
Support Your Local Women’s Shelter
Safety
Support
Information
Advocacy
Safety (shelter, safety plan): undermines his restriction of alternatives through violence
Support (counselor, support groups, shelter ): undermines restriction of alternatives though psychological abuse, undermines social pressure by adding new voices, exposing the children to other families with similar problems
Information (counselor, support groups): undermines restriction of alternatives through lack of information about services, models of women who’ve done it, termination procedures seem more manageable, undermines his threats to take the children
Advocacy:
OR DO YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON THE WHEEL??
Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991
Philadelphia, PA shelter
Types of Domestic Violence: Research

29. A Few Useful References—research
Fals-Stewart, W., & Clinton-Sherrod, M. (2009). Treating intimate partner violence among substance-abusing dyads: The effect of couples therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(3),
Fals-Stewart, W., Klostermann, K., & Clinton-Sherrod, M. (2009). Substance abuse and intimate partner violence. In K. D. O'Leary (Ed.), Psychological and physical aggression in couples: Causes and interventions. (pp
). Washington, DC American Psychological Association.
Gondolf, E. W. (2002). Batterer Intervention Systems: Issues, Outcomes, and Recommendations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gondolf, E. W. (2007). Theoretical and research support for the Duluth Model: A reply to Dutton and Corvo. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12(6),
Gondolf, E. W. (2008). Implementation of case management for batterer program participants. [Peer Reviewed]. Violence Against Women, 14(2), doi: /
Mills, L. G. (2008). Violent Partners: A Breakthrough Plan for Ending the Cycle of Abuse. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Stith, S. M., & McCollum, E. E. (2009). Couples treatment for psychological and physical aggression. In K. D. O'Leary (Ed.), Psychological and Physical Aggression in Couples: Causes and Interventions (pp ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Stith, S. M., McCollum, e. E., Rosen, K. H., & Locke, L. D. (2002). Multicouple group therapy for domestic violence. In F. W. Kaslow (Ed.), Comprehensive Handbook of Psychotherapy: Integrative/eclectic (Vol. 4, pp ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Stith, S. M., Rosen, K. H., McCollum, E. E., & Thomsen, C. J. (2004). Treating intimate partner violence within intact couple relationships: Outcomes of multi-couple versus individual couple therapy. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy. Special Issue: Implications of Reseach with Diverse Families, 30(3),
A Few Useful References—research
Fals-Stewart, W., & Clinton-Sherrod, M. (2009). Treating intimate partner violence among substance-abusing dyads: The effect of couples therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(3),
Graham-Kevan, N., & Archer, J. (2003). Intimate terrorism and common couple violence: A test of Johnson's predictions in four British samples. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(11),
Johnson, M. P. (2008). Types of Domestic Violence: Intimate Terrorism, Violent Resistance, and Situational Couple Violence. Boston: Northeastern University Press.
Jouriles, E. N., McDonald, R., Slep, A. M. S., Heyman, R. E., & Garrido, E. (2008). Child abuse in the context of domestic violence: Prevalence, explanations, and practice implications. Violence and Victims, 23(2),
Leone, J. M. (2011). Suicidal behavior among low-income, African American female victims of intimate terrorism and situational couple violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(13),

30. A Few Useful References—interventions
Fals-Stewart, W., & Clinton-Sherrod, M. (2009). Treating intimate partner violence among substance-abusing dyads: The effect of couples therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(3),
Fals-Stewart, W., Klostermann, K., & Clinton-Sherrod, M. (2009). Substance abuse and intimate partner violence. In K. D. O'Leary (Ed.), Psychological and physical aggression in couples: Causes and interventions. (pp
). Washington, DC American Psychological Association.
Gondolf, E. W. (2002). Batterer Intervention Systems: Issues, Outcomes, and Recommendations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gondolf, E. W. (2007). Theoretical and research support for the Duluth Model: A reply to Dutton and Corvo. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12(6),
Gondolf, E. W. (2008). Implementation of case management for batterer program participants. [Peer Reviewed]. Violence Against Women, 14(2), doi: /
Mills, L. G. (2008). Violent Partners: A Breakthrough Plan for Ending the Cycle of Abuse. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Stith, S. M., & McCollum, E. E. (2009). Couples treatment for psychological and physical aggression. In K. D. O'Leary (Ed.), Psychological and Physical Aggression in Couples: Causes and Interventions (pp ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Stith, S. M., McCollum, e. E., Rosen, K. H., & Locke, L. D. (2002). Multicouple group therapy for domestic violence. In F. W. Kaslow (Ed.), Comprehensive Handbook of Psychotherapy: Integrative/eclectic (Vol. 4, pp ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Stith, S. M., Rosen, K. H., McCollum, E. E., & Thomsen, C. J. (2004). Treating intimate partner violence within intact couple relationships: Outcomes of multi-couple versus individual couple therapy. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy. Special Issue: Implications of Reseach with Diverse Families, 30(3),
A Few Useful References—interventions
Gondolf, E. W. (2008). Implementation of case management for batterer program participants. Violence Against Women, 14(2),
Gondolf, E. W. (2012). The Future of Batterer Programs: Reassessing Evidence-Based Practice. Boston: Northeastern University Press.
Jaffe, P. G., Johnston, J. R., Crooks, C. V., & Bala, N. (2008). Custody disputes involving allegations of domestic violence: Toward a differentiated approach to parenting plans. Family Court Review, 46(3),
Mills, L. G. (2008). Violent Partners: A Breakthrough Plan for Ending the Cycle of Abuse. New York, NY: Basic Books.
O’Farrell, T.J. & Fals-Stewart, W. (2006). Behavioral Couples Therapy for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. New York: Guilford Press. Materials also available free at
Pence, E. & Paymar ,M. (1993). Education Groups for Men Who Batter: The Duluth Model. New York: Springer.
Stith, S. M., McCollum, E. E., & Rosen, K. H. (2011). Couples Therapy for Domestic Violence: Finding Safe Solutions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.