Abstract
Some research suggests that the risk of physical aggression by an intimate partner is related to marital status, but this relationship may vary across cultures and by gender. In the present study, we systematically examine the relationship between marital status and physical partner aggression by gender across 19 countries. Logistic and multilevel regression confirmed previous findings of lower rates of physical aggression for legally married versus cohabiting and separated/divorced women and men across most, but notably, not all countries. Single status was associated with higher risk in some countries and lower in others reflecting possible cultural differences in risk for different marital statuses. For example, single women had significantly lower rates of victimization than did married women in India where violence against wives is often accepted. The variation in the cross-cultural findings highlights the importance of examining both men and women and considering the cultural context when interpreting the relationship between partner aggression and marital status.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by operating grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; 108626, K. Graham, PI), and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism/National Institutes of Health (NIAAA/NIH; R01AA015775, S. C. Wilsnack, PI), and a center grant (P30 AA005595) from NIAAA/NIH. Support to CAMH for salary of scientists and infrastructure was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (OMHLTC). The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIAAA/NIH, the CIHR, or the OMHLTC. Data are from Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study (GENACIS), a collaborative international project affiliated with the Kettil Bruun Society for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol and coordinated by GENACIS partners from the University of North Dakota, Aarhus University, the Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute, the CAMH, the University of Melbourne, and the Addiction Info Switzerland Research Institute. Support for aspects of the project comes from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Programme of the European Commission (Concerted Action QLG4-CT-2001-0196), the USA NIAAA/NIH (Grants R21 AA012941 and R01 AA015775), the German Federal Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and Swiss national funds. The data coordinator for GENACIS is Gerhard Gmel, Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems, Lausanne, Switzerland. Thanks to Hervé Kuendig and Sandra Kuntsche for their help with the data analysis.
The study leaders and funding sources for data sets used in this report were as follows:
Argentina | Myriam Munné | WHO |
Australia | Paul Dietze | National Health and Medical Research Council (Grant 398500) |
Belize | Claudina Cayetano | PAHO |
Brazil | Florence Kerr-Correa | Foundation for the Support of Sao Paulo State Research (Grant 04/11729-2) |
Canada | Kathryn Graham/Andrée Demers | CIHR(Grant 108626) |
Costa Rica | Julio Bejarano | WHO |
Czech Republic | Ladislav Csémy | Ministry of Health (Grant MZ 23752) |
India | Vivek Benegal | WHO |
Isle of Man | Martin Plant | Isle of Man Medical Research Council; University of the West of England, Bristol |
Moira Plant | ||
Japan | Shinji Shimizu | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant 13410072) |
Kazakhstan | Bedel Sarbayev | WHO |
New Zealand | Jennie Connor | Otago University Research Grant |
Nicaragua | Jose Trinidad Caldera | PAHO |
Nigeria | Akanidomo Ibanga | WHO |
Peru | Marina Piazza | PAHO |
Uganda | Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye | WHO |
Uruguay | Raquel Magri | WHO |
United Kingdom | Martin Plant | Alcohol Education and Research Council; European Forum for Responsible Drinking; University of the West of England, Bristol |
Moira Plant | ||
United States | Sharon C. Wilsnack | NIAAA/NIH (Grants R01 AA015775 and R21 AA012941) |
Richard W. Wilsnack |
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Bernards, S., Graham, K. The Cross-Cultural Association Between Marital Status and Physical Aggression Between Intimate Partners. J Fam Viol 28, 403–418 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-013-9505-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-013-9505-1