NCJ Number
210304
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 17 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 1239-1262
Date Published
December 2002
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This study used a binary probit model to identify the factors that appear to influence the probability of a woman experiencing violence.
Abstract
Violence against women continues to be a serious social problem in countries around the world and much research effort has been put into stopping violence against women and helping victims. The current study offers an analysis of the second Australian Women’s Safety Survey (WSS), a national survey conducted in 1996 to inform agencies offering violence prevention programs. The goal was to present empirical evidence that demographic risk factors do indeed influence the probability of a woman experiencing violence. Data consisted of 6,332 observations of women’s experiences of any type of sexual or physical violence that could have led to criminal prosecution as self-reported by women in private interviews. For purposes of illustration, a set of comparison benchmark demographic variables were estimated as those occurring most frequently in the dataset. The following factors were identified as related to victimization risk: level of post-school education, income, ethnic background, number and age of children, marital status, and age. The results of analyses involving a binary probit model indicated that the probability of a woman having experienced violence in the past 12 months was 6.7 percent if she had all the identified factors. The fact that certain demographic factors may predispose a woman to violent victimization may enable service agencies to develop effective prevention strategies. Tables, figure, notes, references