Johnson (2006)

Types of Partner Violence

  • Four identified types based on dyadic control context:

    • Intimate Terrorism:

      • One partner uses violence and control; the other does not.

    • Violent Resistance:

      • One partner uses violence without control; the other partner is violent and controlling.

    • Situational Couple Violence:

      • Violence occurs, but neither partner is controlling.

    • Mutual Violent Control:

      • Both partners are violent and controlling.

Gender Symmetry in Violence

  • Situational couple violence dominates in general population surveys.

  • Intimate terrorism and violent resistance are more prevalent in agency samples (e.g., shelters).

  • Intimate terrorism is primarily perpetrated by men, while violent resistance occurs mostly among women.

  • Situational couple violence is gender symmetric, showing no significant gender difference in perpetration.

Implications for Understanding Domestic Violence

  • Need for Distinction:

    • Misinterpretation of partner violence data due to treating it as a single phenomenon.

    • Distinctions are critical for effective interventions and policy recommendations.

  • Studies lacking in type differentiation fail to accurately portray gender dynamics in partner violence.

The Gender Symmetry Debate

  • Feminist Perspective:

    • Claims most domestic violence involves men assaulting women, supported by agency data.

  • Family Violence Perspective:

    • Argues that women are equally violent as men in heterosexual relationships, often using representative samples.

  • The clashing views stem from different sampling strategies leading to distinct types of violence being highlighted.

Research Findings

  • Agency-based studies reveal:

    • Higher frequency, escalation, severity of violence associated with intimate terrorism compared to situational couple violence.

    • Intimate terrorism leads to significant injuries and control dynamics.

  • Situational couple violence manifests less frequently and is less likely to escalate into serious violence.

Control Context of Violence

  • Focus on control behaviors over specific violent acts:

    • Variability exists within violent acts given contextually controlling behavior patterns.

  • Four Behavioral Patterns:

    • Situational Couple Violence - violent but non-controlling partner.

    • Violent Resistance - non-controlling violent partner against a controlling partner.

    • Intimate Terrorism - controlling and violent partner against a non-controlling partner.

    • Mutual Violent Control - both partners are controlling and violent.

Implementation of Findings in Future Research

  • Importance of collecting diverse control data from both partners in violent relationships:

    • Focused surveys should include control tactics in addition to violence.

  • Emerging consensus on control measures will facilitate distinctions between forms of violence.

  • Further research needed to deepen understanding of intimate terrorism versus situational couple violence and their impacts.