A-2 Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Abuse: Male and Female Perpetrators

Domestic violence has been a pervasive, long-standing problem in our society, likely for as long as society has been around. In the United States, it wasn’t until 1871 that the first state (Alabama) rescinded the “husbandly” right to physically punish their wives. Societal views on relationship violence have since changed significantly. Male perpetrators of intimate partner violence have been the focus of studies since the 1970’s when domestic violence started gaining attention in literature and in popular culture. Contrary to popular belief, females have been found to be more likely to initiate violence. Female intimate partner violence perpetration rates have been found to be equal or higher than males in some studies. Substance abuse problems, like intimate partner violence, has also come to impact people from all walks of life. Some researchers claim there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate a causal relationship between substance abuse and intimate partner violence. Researchers have found that approximately half of those with substance abuse problems have committed some form of intimate partner violence and half of those in batterer intervention programs have substance abuse problems. That rate is approximately five times higher than that of the general population, making those who abuse substances a high-risk population for intimate partner violence. This presentation will be a literature review that is the basis of a Masters Thesis research study