NCJ Number
117803
Date Published
1988
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This paper presents preliminary findings from a study of violence in a nationally representative sample of 721 Hispanic families.
Abstract
The sample was based on the 1985 National Family Violence Resurvey. Hispanic and non-Hispanic white cases were drawn from the national probability sample and the Hispanic oversample. A total of 721 Hispanic families were available in the resurvey in addition to the 4,052 non-Hispanic whites who were also analyzed for comparison. The Conflict Tactics Scales were used to measure incidence of parent-to-child and marital violence. Approximately one out of four Hispanic households experienced assaults between the married or cohabiting partners during the year of the survey. About half the incidents involved acts with the potential for substantial injury. Hispanic women, similar to non-Hispanic women, had about the same rate of assaults on husbands as husbands had of assaults on wives. Approximately one out of seven Hispanic children were severely assaulted by their parents during the survey year. The violence rate in Hispanic families was much greater than the rate in non-Hispanic white families. The higher rate of spouse abuse in Hispanic families reflects the economic deprivation, youthfulness, and urban residence of Hispanics. Hispanic parents had a higher rate of child abuse, however, even with statistical controls for poverty, youthfulness, urbanization, and other demographic factors. Programmatic and policy implications are drawn, including suggestions for primary prevention programs. 6 tables, 1 figure, 61 references, 14 footnotes.