BATTERED WIVES (FROM VIOLENCE AND THE FAMILY, 1978, BY J P MARTIN - SEE NCJ-54634)

• NCJ Number: 54636
• Author(s): J J GAYFORD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wiley and Sons
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SURVEY OF 100 BATTERED ENGLISH WIVES REPORTS ON VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WIVES, COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE, SEXUAL RELATIONS, PERCEPTIONS OF HUSBANDS, CHILDREN, AND TYPES OF SERVICES SOUGHT FOR HELP.

Abstract

A BATTERED WIFE IS DEFINED AS 'ANY WOMAN WHO HAS RECEIVED DELIBERATE, SEVERE, AND REPEATED DEMONSTRABLE PHYSICAL INJURY FROM HER MARITAL PARTNER (INCLUDING COHABITEE).' FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON BATTERED WIVES, RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A 1974 SURVEY OF 100 BATTERED ENGLISH WIVES, WITH SUBJECTS DRAWN FROM PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE (11 PERCENT) AND FROM CHISWICK WOMEN'S AID (89 PERCENT). MOST WOMEN SURVEYED WERE STILL WITHIN THE CHILD-BEARING AGE GROUP; MEN WERE MARGINALLY OLDER, WITH THE MAJORITY BEING UNDER AGE 40. THERE WAS A HIGH INCIDENCE OF IMMIGRANTS AMONG BOTH THE MEN AND THE WOMEN, PARTICULARLY FROM THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND THE WEST INDIES. IN 25 PERCENT OF THE CASES, VIOLENCE STARTED BEFORE MARRIAGE, AND IN THE REMAINDER, IT STARTED SOON AFTER. IN 44 CASES, THE VIOLENCE ONLY OCCURRED AFTER THE HUSBAND HAD BEEN DRINKING. JEALOUSY WAS ALSO A COMMON FACTOR AMONG THE ABUSING HUSBANDS, WITH 66 WOMEN CLAIMING THEIR HUSBANDS WERE CONSTANTLY ACCUSING THEM OF FLIRTING OR HAVING EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS. STATISTICS ARE GIVEN FOR THE WOMEN'S EDUCATION, WORK RECORDS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, PATTERNS OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE, AND SEXUAL RELATIONS DURING MARRIAGE. THE SUBJECTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR HUSBANDS ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH THEIR CURRENT FEELINGS TOWARD THEM. GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF HOSPITALS, AND PSYCHIATRISTS APPARENTLY WERE FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF SERVICES TO WHICH THEY COULD REFER THE WOMEN; MISDIAGNOSIS OF THE SUBJECTS' PHYSICAL OR MENTAL STATE WERE COMMON. THE PSYCHODYNAMICS OF MARITAL VIOLENCE ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, INCLUDING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN WIFE BATTERING AND THE HUSBAND'S ALCOHOLISM. SHORT- AND LONG-TERM SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND RESIDENCES FOR BATTERED WIVES AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE RECOMMENDED. WHILE ABUSING HUSBANDS SELDOM VOLUNTARILY SEEK HELP, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SERVICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)