Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Men’s and Women’s Experience of IPV Part II: A Review of New Developments in Comparative Studies in Clinical Populations

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present paper reviews literature on gender differences in the perpetration, motivation, and impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) in clinical samples published between 2002 and 2013 to update and extend a previous review by Hamberger (Violence & Victims, 20, 131–151, 2005). Results showed that women are likely to incur more costs related to abuse. Men arrested for IPV have more extensive criminal histories and higher recidivism rates than women. When identified as suspects, men and women are equally likely to be arrested, taking into account other relevant factors. Women are less likely to be prosecuted and more likely to be granted restraining orders at lower levels of violence. Female perpetrators have higher levels of psychopathology except for antisocial personality traits. Findings regarding drug and alcohol use are as yet conflicting; although there are gender differences, it is difficult to generalize from the present findings. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Although this study is not drawn directly from a treatment-seeking population, we have included it because it focuses on a subsample of men and women who experienced IPV and asks about service seeking in particular.

References

  • Ackerman, J. (2012). The relevance of relationship satisfaction and continuation to the gender symmetry debate. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27, 3579–3600.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ackerman, J., & Field, L. (2011). The gender asymmetric effect of intimate partner violence on relationship satisfaction. Violence and Victims, 26, 703–724.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Afifi, T. O., MacMillan, H., Cox, B. J., Asmundson, J. G., Stein, M. B., & Sareen, J. (2009). Mental health correlates of intimate partner violence in marital relationships in a nationally representative sample of males and females. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24, 1398–1417.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ansara, D. L., & Hindin, M. J. (2011). Psychosocial consequences of intimate partner violence for women and men in Canada. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 1628–1645.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Archer, J. (2000). Sex differences in aggression between heterosexual partners: a meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 651–680.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arias, I., & Corso, P. (2005). Average cost per person victimized by an intimate partner of the opposite gender: a comparison of men and women. Violence and Victims, 20, 379–391.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Babcock, J. C., Canady, B. E., Senior, A., & Eckhardt, C. J. (2005). Applying the transtheoretical model to male and female perpetrators of intimate partner violence: gender differences in stages and processes of change. Violence and Victims, 20, 235–250.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Basile, S. (2005). A measure of court response to requests for protection. Journal of Family Violence, 20, 171–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belknap, J. (2001). The invisible woman: Gender, crime, and justice (2nd ed.). Nashville: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard, L. A., Wright, K. A., Muftic, L. R., & Bouffard, J. A. (2008). Gender differences in specialization in intimate partner violence: comparing the gender symmetry and violent resistance perspectives. Justice Quarterly, 25, 570–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, L. K., & Follingstad, D. R. (1999). Violence in lesbian and gay relationships: theory, prevalence, and correlational factors. Clinical Psychology Review, 19, 487–512.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Busch, A. L., & Rosenberg, M. S. (2004). Comparing women and men arrested for domestic violence: a preliminary report. Journal of Family Violence, 19, 49–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buzawa, E. S., & Hotaling, G. T. (2006). The impact of relationship status, gender, and minor status in the police response to domestic assaults. Victims and Offenders, 1, 323–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A. (2006). Sex differences in direct aggression: what are the psychological mediators? Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11, 237–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, J. L., Thomsen, C. J., Milner, J. S., Stander, V. A., & Merrill, L. L. (2009). Heterosexual intimate partner violence among Navy personnel: gender differences in incidence and consequences. Military Psychology, 21, S1–S15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R. C., Smith, B. E., & Taylor, B. (2003). Increasing the proportion of domestic violence arrests that are prosecuted: a natural experiment in Milwaukee. Criminology and Public Policy, 2, 263–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, L., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., Browne, K., & Ostapuik, E. (2007). The co-occurrence of child and intimate partner maltreatment in the family: characteristics of the violent perpetrators. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 675–689.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobash, R. P., & Dobash, R. E. (2004). Women’s violence to men in intimate relationships. British Journal of Criminology, 44, 324–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drapkin, M. L., McCrady, B. S., Swingle, J. M., & Epstein, E. (2005). Exploring bidirectional couples violence in a clinical sample of female alcoholics. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 66, 213–219.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durfee, A. (2012). Situational ambiguity and gendered patterns of arrest for intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women, 18, 64–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eitle, D. (2005). The influence of mandatory arrest policies, police organizational characteristics, and situational variables on the probability of arrest in domestic violence cases. Crime and Delinquency, 51, 573–597.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etter, G. W., & Birzer, M. L. (2007). Domestic violence abusers: a descriptive study of the characteristics of defenders in protection from abuse orders in Sedgwick County, Kansas. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 113–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feder, L., & Henning, K. (2005). A comparison of male and female dually arrested domestic violence offenders. Violence and Victims, 20, 153–171.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Felson, R. B., & Cares, A. C. (2005). Gender and the seriousness of assaults on intimate partners and other victims. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 1182–1195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felson, R. B., & Pare, P. (2007). Does the criminal justice system treat domestic violence and sexual assault offenders leniently? Justice Quarterly, 24, 435–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerstenberger, C. B., & Williams, K. R. (2013). Gender and intimate partner violence: does dual arrest reveal gender symmetry or asymmetry? Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28, 1561–1578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, K., Bernards, S., Flynn, A., Tremblay, P. F., & Wells, S. (2012). Does the relationship between depression and intimate partner aggression vary by gender, victim-perpetrator role, and aggression severity? Violence and Victims, 27, 730–743.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, D. L. (2005). Domestic violence arrest decision making: the role of suspect availability in the arrest decision. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32, 390–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamberger, L. K. (2005). Men’s and women’s use of intimate partner violence in clinical samples: toward a gender-sensitive analysis. Violence and Victims, 20, 131–151.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamberger, L. K., & Guse, C. (2005). Typology of reactions to intimate partner violence among men and women arrested for partner violence. Violence and Victims, 20, 303–317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, M., & Worthen, M. G. F. (2011). Sex disparities in arrest outcomes for domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 1559–1578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henning, K., Jones, A. R., & Holdford, R. (2003). Treatment needs of women arrested for domestic violence: a comparison with male offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennning, K., & Feder, L. (2004). A comparison of men and women arrested for domestic violence: who presents the greater threat? Journal of Family Violence, 19, 69–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henning, K., & Feder, L. (2005). Criminal prosecution of domestic violence offenses: an investigation of factors predictive of court outcomes. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32, 612–642.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henning, K., Martinsson, R., & Holdford, R. (2009). Gender differences in risk factors for intimate partner violence recidivism. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 18, 623–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hester, M. (2013). Who does what to whom? Gender and domestic violence perpetrators in English police records. European Journal of Criminology, 10, 623–637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hines, D. A., Brown, J., & Dunning, E. (2007). Characteristics of callers to the domestic abuse helpline for men. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 63–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschel, D., Buzawa, E., Pattavina, A., & Faggiani, D. (2007). Domestic violence and mandatory arrest laws: to what extent do they influence police arrest decisions. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 98, 255–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschel, D., & Hutchison, I. (2010). Unraveling the relative contributions of his, her, and their drinking to the likelihood of arrest in intimate partner violence cases. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 3050–3079.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, T. (2003). The influence of suspect gender in domestic violence arrests. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 27, 183–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, M. P. (2011). Gender and types of intimate partner violence: a response to an anti-feminist literature review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16, 289–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimberg, L. (2008). Addressing intimate partner violence with male patients: a review and introduction of pilot guidelines. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23, 2071–2078.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kingsnorth, R. (2006). Intimate partner violence: predictors of recidivism in a sample of arrestees. Violence Against Women, 12, 917–935.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2010). Controversies involving gender and intimate partner violence in the United States. Sex Roles, 62, 179–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J. (2012). Gender and stalking: current intersections and future directions. Sex Roles, 66, 418–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J., Zhang, Y., & Hoover, L. T. (2013). Police response to domestic violence: multilevel factors of arrest decision. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 36, 157–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Max, W., Rice, D. P., Finkelstein, E., Bardwell, R. A., & Leadbetter, S. (2004). The economic toll of intimate partner violence against women in the United States. Violence and Victims, 19, 259–272.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCarroll, J. E., Fan, Z., & Bell, N. S. (2009). Alcohol use in nonmutual and mutual domestic violence in the U.S. Army: 1998–2004. Violence and Victims, 24, 364–379.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melton, H. C., & Belknap, J. (2003). He hits, she hits: assessing gender differences and similarities in officially reported intimate partner violence. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 30, 328–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melton, H. C., & Sillito, C. L. (2012). The role of gender in officially reported intimate partner abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27, 1090–1111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menard, K. S., Anderson, A. L., & Godboldt, S. M. (2009). Gender differences in intimate partner recidivism: a 5-year follow-up. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 36, 61–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. A. (1999). The substance abuse subtle screening inventory (SASSI) manual. Springville: SASSI Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Millon, T. (1994). Millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III. Minneapolis: National Computer Systems, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, T. M., Stuart, G. L., Meehan, J. C., Rhatigan, D. L., Hellmuth, J. C., & Keen, S. M. (2008). Drug abuse and aggression between intimate partners: a meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 247–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muftic, L. R., & Bouffard, J. A. (2007). An evaluation of gender differences in the implementation and impact of a comprehensive approach to domestic violence. Violence Against Women, 13, 46–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muftic, L. R., Bouffard, L. A., & Bouffard, J. A. (2007). An exploratory analysis of victim precipitation among men and women arrested for intimate partner violence. Feminist Criminology, 2, 327–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, H. J., Desmarais, S. L., & Hamel, J. M. (2009). Do judicial responses to restraining order requests discriminate against male victims of domestic violence? Journal of Family Violence, 24, 625–637.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholls, T. (2008). Tearing down the gender paradigm in favor of families. American Psychology-Law Society, Division 41, 28, 1, 4–5.

  • Renauer, B., & Henning, K. (2005). Investigating intersections between gender and intimate partner violence recidivism. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 41, 99–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, K., & Murachver, T. (2007). Correlates of partner violence for incarcerated women and men. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 208–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, J. M. (2011). Personality and situational correlates of self-reported reasons for intimate partner violence among women versus men referred for batterers’ intervention. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 29, 711–727.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, J. M. (2012). Self-reported fear in partner violent relationships: findings on gender differences from two samples. Psychology of Violence, 2, 58–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russo, C. A., Owens, P. L., & Hambrick, M. M. (2008, March). Violence-related Stays in U.S. Hospitals, 2005. [HCUP Statistical Brief #48; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality]. Retrieved from http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb48.pdf.

  • Schneider, R., Burnette, M. L., Ilgen, M. A., & Timko, C. (2009). Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence victimization among men and women entering substance use disorder treatment. Violence and Victims, 24, 744–756.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, C. A., Lehmann, P., & Cobb, N. (2008a). Women arrested for partner abuse and substance use: an exploration of discrepancies in the literature. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23, 707–727.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, C. A., Lehmann, P., & Cobb, N. (2008b). A comparison of women versus men charged with intimate partner violence: general risk factors, attitudes regarding using violence, and readiness to change. Violence and Victims, 23, 571–586.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, C. A., Lehmann, P., Cobb, N., & Fowler, C. R. (2005). Personality profiles of women and men arrested for domestic violence: an analysis of similarities and differences. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 41, 63–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, S. S., Bouffard, L. A., Garner, J., & Hickman, L. (2006). The influence of legal reform on the probability of arrest in domestic violence cases. Justice Quarterly, 23, 297–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, G. L., Temple, J. R., Follansbee, K. W., Bucossi, M., Hellmuth, J. C., & Moore, T. M. (2008). The role of drug use in a conceptual model of intimate partner violence in men and women arrested for domestic violence. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 22, 12–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1979). Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: the conflict tactics (CT) scales. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 41, 75–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., Gelles, R., & Steinmetz, S. (1980). Behind closed doors: Violence in the American family. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, L., & Pittman, J. F. (2005). Sex of spouse abuse offender and directionality of abuse as predictors of personal distress, interpersonal functioning, and perceptions of family climate. Journal of Family Violence, 20, 329–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Prevalence and consequences of male-to-female and female-to-male intimate partner violence as measured by the national violence against women survey. Violence Against Women, 6, 142–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolleson, D. R., & Gross, E. (2009). Examining women’s intimate partner violence: A Utah example. Journal of Sociology, Social Work and Social Welfare, 3. Retrieved from http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2009/articles/1446.pdf.

  • Warner, T. D. (2010). Violent acts and injurious consequences: an examination of competing hypotheses about intimate partner violence using agency-based data. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 183–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woolredge, J., & Thistlethwaite, A. (2002). Reconsidering domestic violence recidivism: conditioned effects of legal controls by individual and aggregate levels of stake in conformity. Journal of Qualitative Criminology, 18, 45–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wupperman, P., Amble, P., Devine, S., Zonana, H., Fals-Stewart, W., & Easton, C. (2009). Violence and substance use among female partners of men in treatment for intimate partner violence. The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 37, 75–81.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sadie E. Larsen.

Additional information

Author Note

Sadie Larsen, Psychology Service, Zablocki VA Medical Center; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin; L. Kevin Hamberger, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin.

This manuscript is partially the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Clement J. Zablocki VAMC, Milwaukee, WI.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Larsen, S.E., Hamberger, L.K. Men’s and Women’s Experience of IPV Part II: A Review of New Developments in Comparative Studies in Clinical Populations. J Fam Viol 30, 1007–1030 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9730-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9730-x

Keywords

Navigation