AETIOLOGY OF REPEATED SERIOUS PHYSICAL ASSAULTS BY HUSBANDS ON WIVES (WIFE BATTERING)

• NCJ Number: 59850
• Journal: Medicine, Science and the Law Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 19-24
• Author(s): J J GAYFORD
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wright and Sons, Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT STUDIES OF WIFE BATTERING, METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY OF AETIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN 100 BATTERED WIVES.

Abstract

ONE HUNDRED WOMEN CLAIMING AND SHOWING EVIDENCE OF BEING BATTERED WERE INTERVIEWED. PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW, ALL SUBJECTS HAD EITHER COMPLETED OR BEEN HELPED TO COMPLETE A QUESTIONNAIRE. WHERE INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE FROM OTHER SOURCES, THIS WAS USED TO CHECK CONTENT OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND INTERVIEW. EIGHTY-NINE OF THE WOMEN, WHO WERE SEEN AT CHISWICK WOMEN'S AID (ENGLAND) IN 1974, WERE OBSERVED OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS. IN EACH CASE, THE SUBJECT HAD LIVED WITH THE ABUSIVE MAN FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. ALL SUBJECTS HAD TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE INCIDENTS OF VIOLENT ABUSE FOR INCLUSION IN THE SURVEY. ALTHOUGH ONLY A QUARTER OF THE WOMEN EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE IN THEIR PARENTS' HOMES, MANY MORE WERE SUBJECTED TO DISRUPTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PARENTS THROUGH DIVORCE OR SEPARATION, DEATH, ALCOHOLISM, PARENTAL PROMISCUITY, AND OCCASIONAL PARENTAL IMPRISONMENT. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT MARITAL VIOLENCE OCCURS IN ALL SOCIAL CLASSES, WITH EDUCATION AND A STABLE WORK RECORD AFFORDING NO PROTECTION. OF THE WOMEN INTERVIEWED, 46 ADMITTED THEY HAD RECEIVED A PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION; 21 HAD RECEIVED TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION, AND 2 HAD SUFFERED FROM A PUERPERAL PSYCHOSIS. THE REMAINDER HAD MIXED DIAGNOSES OF REACTIVE DEPRESSION DUE TO MARITAL PROBLEMS OR PERSONALITY DISORDER. TWENTY SUBJECTS HAD USED ALCOHOL TO ENJOY THE INTOXICATING AND DISINHIBITING EFFECTS. ACCORDING TO THE WOMEN, DRUNKENNESS, COMMON AMONG THEIR MALE ABUSERS WITH 52 BEING DRUNK ON AT LEAST A WEEKLY BASIS, WAS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH HIS VIOLENCE. JEALOUSY, IMPRISONMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, PROMISCUITY, AND GAMBLING WERE OTHER AETOLOGICAL FACTORS REPORTED BY THE WOMEN. ADDITIONALLY, THIRTY PERCENT OF THE WOMEN FELT MOUNTING TENSION IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR HUSBANDS BEFORE VIOLENCE ERUPTED. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)