Are men more violent than women in relationships? Time to dispell the myths surrounding domestic violence.
One of the widely believed myths of our society is that domestic violence is something men do to women. Solid scientific research reveals that domestic violence is something women do to men more frequently than men do it to women. While it is true that men account for most violence outside the home, women instigate most domestic violence, and they assault men more frequently, and more severely.
The Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire, under grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, has released the last of three national studies on domestic violence.
The first two studies (1975 and 1985) revealed results similar to the latest study. The original national survey was done in 1975. Several research papers were published as a result of it.
In 1980 the study results were made available to the general public in a book called Behind Closed Doors: Violence In The American Family (Anchor Press, Garden City, NY). In 1985 Straus and Gelles completed and published a follow up study, which was published in Journal Of Marriage and the Family, August 1986. In 1992 a third follow up study was completed by Murray A. Straus and Glenda Kaufman Kantor. The study was presented at 13th World Congress of Sociology, July 19, 1994.
Here is the scientific data for the three studies, expressed as a rate per 1,000 couples:
| Minor Violent Acts | Severe Violent Acts |
|
|
| Minor Assaults: | by husband | by wife | Study Year |
| 98 | 77 | 1975 | |
| 82 | 75 | 1985 | |
| 92 | 94 | 1992 | |
| Severe Assaults: | by husband | by wife | Study Year |
| 38 | 47 | 1975 | 30 | 43 | 1985 | 19 | 44 | 1992 |
Table prepared using the data available from "Change In Spouse Assault Rates From 1975 to 1992: A Comparison of Three National Surveys In The United States" by Murray A. Straus and Glenda K. Kantor.
Thousands of couples were involved in these studies. The conclusions are based on over more than 20 years of research. For the average of reports by both males and females: Husband on wife severe assault occurred at a rate of 2.0%, whereas wife on husband severe assault occurred at a rate of 4.6%. Husband on wife minor assault occurred at a rate of 9.9%, whereas wife on husband assault occurred at a rate of 9.5% The average results of all three studies in the "severe assault" category, are reported below:
| Wives report they have been severely assaulted by husband | 22 per 1000 |
| Wives report they have severely assaulted husband | 59 per 1000 |
| Husbands report they have been severely assaulted by wives | 32 per 1000 |
| Husbands report they have severely assaulted wives | 18 per 1000 |
| Husbands & wives both report wife has been assaulted | 20 per 1000 |
| Husbands & wives both report husband has been assaulted | 44 per 1000 |
There are dozens of other studies that reveal similar findings.
For instance: women are three times more likely than men to use weapons in domestic violence. Women initiate most incidents of domestic violence. Women commit most child abuse and most elder abuse. Women hit their male children more frequently and more severely that they hit their female children. Women commit most child murders and 64% of their victims are male children. When women murder adults, the majority of their victims are men. Women commit nearly half of spousal murders. Eighty two percent of all people have their first experience of violence at the hands of a women.
For more information, contact: Family Research, 11216 Tamiami Trail N #223, Naples, Fl 34110
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