Crime Victims: An Introduction to
Victimology
Sixth Edition
By Andrew Karmen
Chapter Nine:
Victims of Violence by
Lovers and Family Members
Rediscovery of Wife Beating
 Rediscovery during 1970s—”Silent Crisis”
 Historical Perspective of Problem
– Patriarchy—man’s right to discipline, home was
his castle, hands-off policy
– RULE of THUMB
– Moderate Correction
– Unnatural severity—Child abuse/fine or death—
Wife abuse/up to judge
Rediscovery of Wife Beating
 Learned Helplessness—“Battered Woman
Syndrome”
 Three Phase Cycle of Domestic Violence
– Tension Building
– The Battering
– Tranquil Loving Aftermath
Incidence, Prevalence and
Seriousness
 Which victim-offender relationships should
be included or excluded?
 What is abuse?—injuries and attacking—
definitions clearly shape findings
 Is minor violence criminal violence?
– Lack of public consensus = normative
ambiguity
Maximalist Arguments Note
 Women much more likely to be harmed by
intimate than a stranger
 Six million women “physically abused” each
year
 1.8 million serious assaults
 ½ of all incidents not reported to police
 Domestic violence is #1 cause of injuries for
women aged 15-44
Minimalist Arguments Note
 Only 1 in 50 women in 20s experience
nonfatal violent offenses in a year
 NCVS shows trends for domestic violence
decreasing
– 1.1 million offenses in 1993 and 600,000 in
2001
Battered Women and CJ System
 Therapeutic Model—women not totally
innocent. Shared responsibility. Long term
approach is to strengthen bond.
 Legalistic Model—in favor since 1980s
– Separate Parties—Order of Protection
– Rescue and protect injured
– Punish and rehabilitate aggressor
– Arresting may deter future acts
Battered Women and CJ System
 Police Response—Minneapolis Study
– 50% of arrested offenders did not re-assault
victim
– 26% of those forced to leave re-offended upon
return
– 18% of those sent to counseling re-offended in
follow up period
Law Enforcement determined best response was
to arrest.
Domestic Violence Arrest Without Warrant
Battered Women and CJ System
 Prosecutorial Response
– Women often manipulated into dropping
charges
– “No drop approach”: need only
corroborating evidence if victim does not
testify
– If accuser fails to show up at trial, case is
typically dropped or acquitted
Battered Women and CJ System
 Judicial response
 In too many cases, clear spouse abuse
cases can be lengthy trials
– Judges order can—evict, bar contact, threats,
harassment, stalking, and limit visitation
– Civil remedies aimed at separation of two—not
to punish
– Law enforcement does not actively enforce civil
orders
Preventing Battering
 Current responses not dealing with “root of
the problem”
– Decision making in family flows with income and
property. Men have power—women subordinate
to them.
– Men taught to be aggressive—Women taught to
be passive and resignation.
– Rule of Patriarchy—”Men Rule.”
– Women must “love, honor, and obey.”
Domestic Violence
 Same-Sex Partners
– Partner violence about same as heterosexuals
– Few resources to turn to for help
Battered Husbands
- Hesitant to report—disbelief to mockery
- No access to resources for help
Men’s ability to financially support themselves
usually results in them leaving the relationship
Victim Provocation and Murder
 When is slaying of a wife beater
justified?
– Read Chapter examples, pages 227-228
 Victim Blaming vs. Victim Defending
Victim Provocation and Murder
 Victim Defending Arguments—siding with the dead
man, noting his provocations not significant
enough to justify his death—notes her
overreaction—leads to offender blaming that she
must be punished accordingly
– Violence went too far, should have called police, left the
home, divorce
– Women cannot be judge, jury, and executioner
– Man cannot defend himself in court—he’s dead
Victim Provocation and Murder
 Victim Blaming Arguments
– Dead husband responsible for demise—his
insults, challenges and assaults incited her
– Those who strike back were socially and
economically isolate, more severely beaten,
children abused
– Deadly force justified as it is a self-defense
measure
– Weapon justified due to lack of strength
– Women often killed by his strength and force
Victim Provocation and Murder
 Victim blaming most convincing to police when:
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Threatened or beaten repeatedly
Prior rescue by police
Testified in court
Sought marital counseling
Attempted escape
Filed for divorce
Visible injuries at arrest
 Demonstrates crimes are socially defined. No act is
inherently criminal—even homicide!
Rediscovery of Other Victims of
Beatings
 Young Women Battered During Courtship
 Abuse of Parents by Adolescents
 Elder Abuse
 Battering Within Same-Sex Relationships
Preventing Battering
 Primary Prevention Programs
– Attempts to change attitudes of large numbers
of people—high school students
 Secondary Prevention Programs
– Intervention into lives of high risk couples
– Teaching of negotiation and anger management
techniques
Key Terms
Intimate Partners
Domestic Tranquility
patriarchy
Unnatural severity
Moderate correction
Domestic
chastisement
Rule of Thumb
Battered woman
syndrome
speakouts
Normative ambiguity
Clinical fallacy
Shelters
Order of Protection
Restraining Order
Pro arrest directives
No drop prosecution
policy
Elder abuse
Secondary prevention
programs
Primary prevention
programs