Types of Domestic Violence
Research Evidence and Implications
Michael P. Johnson, Ph.D.
Sociology, Women's Studies, and
African & African American Studies
Penn State
www.personal.psu.edu/mpj
Women’s Refuge
Conference 2012
Blenheim, New Zealand
October 27, 2012
Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with
the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991
McKeesport, PA
 Are Women Really as Violent as
 Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data
 Explaining the ostensible contradictions
A
Men?
Control-based Typology of Partner Violence
 The
three major types
 Gender differences and sampling biases
 Dramatic Differences Among the Types
 Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
 A few health and relationship consequences
 Different risk factors for perpetration
 Policy
Implications
The Anti-feminist Backlash
Attack Feminist Research
Deny the Role of Gender
Attack Programs that Address Violence against Women
 “The gender paradigm.
Dutton et al., 2010
. . biased social science.”
 “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
General Surveys Indicate That
Women Are as Violent as Men
Heterosexual intimate partner violence
by gender
Data Source
Men
Women
Canada, GSS, 2004
Norway, Statistics Norway, 2003
New Zealand, Dunedin, 2002, 25 year olds
Sweden, university students, c. 2001
U.S., NSFH, 1988
U.S., NFVS, 1975—the beginning
54%
55%
39%
52%
53%
51%
46%
45%
61%
48%
47%
49%
But Agency Studies Indicate That
Men Are the Primary Batterers
Heterosexual intimate partner violence
by gender
Data Source
Men
Women
Sweden, partner assault, 2010
New Zealand protection orders, 2007
80%
90%
20%
9%
New Zealand hospitals, IPV assaults, 2006
Canada, spousal homicide, 1995-2005
U.S., FBI, partner assault,1996-2001
U.K., emergency rooms, 1988
91%
82%
75%
83%
9%
18%
25%
17%
Ontario, family court, 1982
94%
6%
Differentiating Among Types of
Intimate Partner Violence
Explains the Contradictions
 There
is more than one type of partner violence
 One
type is perpetrated mostly by men, another
by both men and women
 Agency
studies are dominated by the maleperpetrated type, general surveys by the
gender-symmetric type
 Are Women Really as Violent as
 Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data
 Explaining the ostensible contradictions
A
Men?
Control-based Typology of Partner Violence
 The
three major types
 Gender differences and sampling biases
 Dramatic Differences Among the Types
 Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
 A few health and relationship consequences
 Different risk factors for perpetration
 Policy
Implications
Intimate Terrorism
Violent Coercive Control
Violent Resistance
Resisting the Intimate Terrorist
Situational Couple Violence
Situationally-provoked Violence
Intimate Terrorism
Violent Coercive Control

Pattern of violent coercive control




The basic pattern is the use of multiple control
tactics (violent and non-violent) to attempt to take
general control over one’s partner
Specific control tactics vary from case to case,
involving different combinations of economic
control, isolation, emotional abuse, intimidation,
use of children, and other control tactics
In heterosexual relationships, perpetrated
primarily but not exclusively by men
Generally rare, but common in agency settings
Intimate Terrorism/Domestic Violence
Adapted from
Pence &
Paymar, 1993.
Violent Resistance
Resisting the Intimate Terrorist
Many
Not
victims respond with violence
necessarily self-defense
In heterosexual relationships, most violent
resistors desist and turn to other tactics, either to
mitigate the violence or to escape

Generally
rare, but common in agency settings
Situational Couple Violence
Situationally-provoked Violence
Conflicts
turn to arguments that escalate
Both men and women do this
Men’s
Huge
violence more likely to injure and frighten
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
By
far the most common type
Gender Symmetry/Asymmetry
by Type of Violence
(1970s Pittsburgh: Violent husbands and wives)
Husbands
Intimate terrorism
97%
Wives
3%
Violent resistance
4%
96%
77
Situational couple violence
56%
44%
146
2000s Britain: IT 87% male; VR 10% male; SCV 45% male
N
97
The Biases of Major Sampling Plans
(Violent men: Pittsburgh)
General
Sample
(n = 37)
Court
Sample
(n = 34)
Shelter
Sample
(n = 50)
Intimate terrorism
14%
68%
78%
Violent resistance
0%
0%
2%
Situational couple violence
86%
29%
18%
2000s Britain: IT by sample type: General = 13%, Shelter = 88%.
 Are Women Really as Violent as
 Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data
 Explaining the ostensible contradictions
A
Men?
Control-based Typology of Partner Violence
 The
three major types
 Gender differences and sampling biases
 Dramatic Differences Among the Types
 Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
 A few health and relationship consequences
 Different risk factors for perpetration
 Policy
Implications
Johnson, 2006
Mixed sample, married
Pittsburgh, 1970s
Shelter
80-90%
76% severe
75% escalated
29% mutual
General
2-4%
28% severe
Shelter
10-20%
28% escalated
69% mutual
General
12-18%
Ansara & Hindin, 2010
Previous/current partners
Canadian GSS 2004
57% frequent violence
60% feared for life
8% frequent violence
9% feared for life
Health & Relationship Outcomes
by Type of Male Violence
(various studies)
Injury, latest incident
U.S., NVAW
SCV
25%
Severe injury, ever
Pittsburgh
28%
76%
p<.001
Post-traumatic stress*
U.S., NVAW
37%
79%
p<.001
Suicidal behavior
Chicago, CWHRS
18%
37%
p<.001
Low marital happiness
Pittsburgh
13%
50%
p<.001
* Percent above the median for female victims of partner violence
IT
49%
p<.001
Different Risk Factors
Studies by Various Social Scientists
Different Locations and Sample Types
Different Measures
 Intergenerational
 SCV
“transmission”
d = +.11
IT d = +.35
 Marriage
 SCV
b = -.62
 Gender
 SCV
IT b = +.58
traditionalism
d = -.14
IT d = +.80
 Are Women Really as Violent as
 Anti-feminist politics and conflicting data
 Explaining the ostensible contradictions
A
Men?
Control-based Typology of Partner Violence
 The
three major types
 Gender differences and sampling biases
 Dramatic Differences Among the Types
 Violence severity, frequency, mutuality, and escalation
 A few health and relationship consequences
 Different risk factors for perpetration
 Policy
Implications
Primary Prevention/Education
 Intimate
terrorism
 Equality
 Violent
and respect
resistance
 Intimate
terrorism danger signs
 Safety planning
 Entrapment/escape issues
 Situational
 Sources
couple violence
of conflict, e.g., poverty
 Anger management, communication,
substance abuse
Screening/Triage
 Different
models for different clients
 To screen we need to assess coercive
control and violence for both partners
 Safety first!
 Initially
assume the worst (intimate terrorism)
 If SCV seems likely, try individual application
of other approaches
 If you are confidant that you are dealing with
SCV, and safety has been demonstrated
over time, you can move to couple
approaches with protections in place
Intervention with Perpetrators
Hold them all accountable in the criminal justice system
to provide an essential motivation for change
 Intimate
terrorism
 Control-focused
 Violent
education
resistance
 Alternatives
to violence/Safety planning
 Neutralize entrapment
 Situational
 Sources
couple violence
of conflict, e.g., poverty
 Anger management, communication,
substance abuse rehab
Intervention for Survivors
 Intimate
terrorism
 Long-term
support
 Alternatives to violent resistance
 Empowerment to leave
 Transitional support
 Situational
 Sources
couple violence
of conflict, e.g., poverty
 Anger management, communication,
substance abuse rehab
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.
www.personal.psu.edu/mpj
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Photos from Donna Ferrato, Living with
the Enemy. New York: Aperture, 1991
Philadelphia, PA shelter
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), 257-263.
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), 12471270.
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), 221-235.
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),
2568-2591.
A Few Useful References—interventions
Gondolf, E. W. (2008). Implementation of case management for batterer program participants.
Violence Against Women, 14(2), 208-225.
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), 500-522.
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 www.addictionandfamily.org.
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.