Violent Victimization of Women: A Life Course Perspective (From Gender and Crime: Patterns in Victimization and Offending, P 139-170, 2006, Karen Heimer and Candace Kruttschnitt, eds., -- See NCJ-214516)

• NCJ Number: 214522
• Author(s): Candace Kruttschnitt; Ross Macmillan
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 32 pages
• Sale Source: New York University Press
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study developed and assessed a life course perspective on the women’s experiences of violent victimization.

Abstract

Overall, the results indicated significant variation in the patterning of violence victimization across relationships for women. This means the risk of any particular type of violent act is independent of the risk of experiencing other types of violent acts within relationships. Thus, there are no patterns of violence in each type of relationship. By contrast, other findings revealed that both parent-child relationships and partner relationships were characterized by more complex patterns of violence. Three patterns of violent victimization were identified for parent-child relationships and four patterns were identified for partner relationships; each pattern is described in turn. In terms of risk factors for violent victimization across the life course, results revealed a relationship with age in that risk for violent victimization increased with age until the mid-30s and then declined. Few race differences for violent victimization among women were noted. Women living in poverty and disruption in the martial relationship were both linked to higher rates of violent victimization. Implications of the findings for public policy are discussed and include the need to tailor interventions so that they can be implemented within the context of ongoing relationships. Data were drawn from the National Violence Against Women Survey, administered from November 1995 to May 1996 to a nationally representative sample of 8,000 women and 8,005 men. The analysis focused on women’s experiences of violence in the context of relationships with parents, other relatives, partners, dates, acquaintances, and strangers. Statistical analysis of the data included estimating LISREL models and the likelihood ratio chi-square statistic. Future research should move beyond the descriptive analysis offered here to identify the mechanisms that produce patterned victimization over the life course. Tables, appendix, and notes