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Different Types of Intimate Partner Violence Likely Require Different Types of Approaches to Prevention: A Response to Buzawa and Buzawa
Author(s) -
Matjasko Jennifer L.,
Niolon Phyllis Holditch,
Valle Linda Anne
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of policy analysis and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.898
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1520-6688
pISSN - 0276-8739
DOI - 10.1002/pam.21667
Subject(s) - counterpoint , domestic violence , citation , interpersonal violence , psychology , criminology , library science , sociology , suicide prevention , poison control , medicine , computer science , medical emergency , pedagogy
Buzawa and Buzawa (this issue) assert that there are different typologies of intimate partner violence (IPV) defined by the extent to which the violence is part of a general pattern of coercive control. They center their discussion on batterers, who are understood to be responsible for the most severe forms of abuse and injury. Economic factors are believed to be "only a weak predictor of violence" in these cases. Thus, they argue that, in the face of severe budget constraints, there is a need to focus on the chronically violent offender and support-coordinated services for IPV victims. We agree that there are different types of IPV distinguishable by the extent to which the violence is occurring within a pattern of general coercive control and that each type has different risk and protective factors. We also agree economic factors interact with other factors in complex ways and vary in the extent to which they predict different types of IPV. However, we argue economic factors should not be ignored as an important strategy in preventing situational couple violence (SCV) and helping victims to escape from intimate terrorists (ITs). Relying on response (rather than prevention) strategies, such as coordinated community response-for which there is limited evidence of effectiveness-is unlikely to significantly impact rates of all types of IPV.